Pokemon Princess MayXDrew story
by MemoryWriter
Summary: May & her friends Dawn, Misty, & Ash, live in the Present Time. When they're taken into the medieval past, they find out May's its Princess and that she had memory loss at the age of 6. But how can this be? Who's this Drew person who seems so familiar?
1. My Normal Life

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Chap 1: My normal Life

Ok here's the first chapter of my Pokemon Princess Story. Enjoy -

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon!

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To live teenagerhood, a dream I feel will never come true. However, strangely enough, I am content with that. My name is May Maple,and I am an average 12 year old orphan girl, just to get it out. I grew up not knowing who my parents were. That's left me with my step-mom, who happens to be like the one on Cinderella and is working you off like a slave.

That so far is my entire life in a nutshell. And now, I am free to tell you my story.

When I was 6, I ended up in the orphanage with memory loss. Then I got adopted by this woman named Kira Masaki. She's a paranoid woman who thinks she still as young as me. The devil with heels. She works me like her maid; scrub the floors, clean the windows, all those chores that a 'mother' should be doing for their little kid. Sure I'm old enough to do chores, but not all of them, let alone outrageous ones like scrub the floors with a brush or clean all the fire places in the house or wash all of the windows.

If you haven't figured it out by now, my house was very big compared to a normal sized apartment.

My room lies in the house attic, which I am proud to call my real home. It is humble and quaint, despite the intended miserable style my step mother intended for me. A single window was present in my slanted wooden ceiling, facing the yard of my house, green grass and flowers and all, courtesy of my gardening and a 'how to' book from the school library.

To keep alive my humanitarian childhood, I have friends from school, with whom we each share a common interest, Pokemon. Pokemon is a famous video game that we've grown up with since your younger elementary days.

"May! Hurry up we're going to school!" called a voice from outside my window, belonging to that of Misty Waterflower. My lone window led to the backyard, where my friends would call for me on our way to school.

Meanwhile, upstairs I sat in front of my wooden dress, attached to a mirror. It was one of the three simple pieces of furniture I had in my room: the dresser, the bed, and the desk. As I stood in front of the mirror I put on my necklace, one of which I have worn countless times, and as I grew, everyday I wore it. It's charm consisted of that in the form of a mini Pokeball, from the video games. I can't remember where I got it, but I know it wasn't from the local toy store where most Pokemon merchandise is sold.

--

"And I caught a Pikachu!" announced Ash, continuing his stories of his recent 'adventures' with his Pokemon video game. You wouldn't be surprised he said phrases like that. He was a dedicated fan of the franchise.

"Hm, that doesn't surprise me. Just about all your Pokemon are Pikachu, Ash." Misty remarked, eyeing the boy with a bored expression.

Ash was the only guy friend I had in Hajime Middle School. He is probably the biggest Pokemon fan in the entire school. This is why he's one of the "uncool" kids. But to me and my other friends, he's pretty decent. His personality was one of that untouched by the bad outside events of the world, and that's what I admired about Ash.

"I'm still wondering how you can tell them apart since they're all the same." I commented, joining in the conversation.

"Hey it's my favorite Pokemon! And we both know Torchic's your favorite one, May," Ash replied in defence, but it was the truth. I also played the Pokemon Video Games, as did Misty. Many students in Hajime Middle School played the said game, just not as much as Ash.

"Hey Ash, can you take my games again? My mom might take them away for '_super summer chores_' or something like that."

"May I'm telling you, you've gotta tell someone about that mom of yours," Ash said with an amused look and a cocked left eyebrow.

"Yeah, you should put an end to this." Misty added.

"I don't wanna end up in the orphanage again," I replied with almost no interest. Ash and Misty tried to talk to me about this just about everyday, whether it be in the morning, afternoon, or anything else in-between. "Anything's better than there."

"Then if you won't leave it to the authorities, why not do it yourself?" Misty suggested, "I'll give you some of my camera water bombs."

Ash and I starred at Misty in curiosity as our walk stopped to a halt, almost comically. "...What?" I finally spoke.

"You hide it in some water and becomes camouflages with its surroundings. It'll record everything from 6 different angles for you, and then when your done you press the red blinking button. But if it's found, it'll explode in the water," Misty explained rather quickly. I blinked my eyes

"And that's a good thing?" Ash questioned the red-head, a little unsure.

"Well, I guess it isn't. Still trying to work out that bug," Misty replied, pondering her thoughts up at the sky. She was the smartest in our group, IQ wise. She's also a great inventor, with most of her inventions revolving around water for some articulate reason. Although, you wouldn't be too uneased by that revelation seeing her actions in her Pokemon games, all of her Pokemon being Water Type. And besides, her inventions really come through...sometimes.

"Hey at least we're at school now. And it's the last week of 7th grade so there are no classes. Free period all day!" Ash said, trying to bring up an exciting subject.

We arrived at school building and went to homeroom. Let's just say I wasn't the most popular girl at school. Since I didn't have a lot of nice clothes like the other girls did, the guys just overlooked me. It was common for me to wear the same thing more than once. A typical middle school clique we are, us being the smallest, quiet but somehow unique group of kids.

"Hm? Hi guys!" yelled a dark haired girl from across the room as she turned around from a group of other girls.

That was Dawn Santezz , my other best friend. She was one of the popular kids, but she hung out with us instead, seeing as we had grown up with her as well. Mixed with her looks and kindness, a lot of guys drool over her, naturally. I admit I used to be jealous of that quality of her's, but I've learned to accept her for that. But unlike all the popular girls on the cheer leading squads, she likes the Pokemon video games just as much as we enjoy them. Her Pokemon vary in their types, but they're all 'cute and adorable', according to her choice of words.

"Morning Dawn!" Misty greeted back.

"Help us persuade May into telling her mom off," Ash said instantly, resulting with me giving him a short glare.

"Again?" Dawn asked first. "Now May what have I said before? Your a girl with potential and therefore you should tell you mom off and live the life you always wanted!" she said to me enthusiastically.

I smiled back at her, so she wouldn't worry to much about this subject. "Seriously guys I'm okay. I am strong. Not like a few chores will kill me. And we have this conversation like what, twice every day? Can't we go one day without bringing up my mom?"

"Hey it gives us something to talk about," Dawn said with her hands on her hips.

If your wondering my part in this little gang, I'm the level-headed one, not that it's that unique compared to the others; popular, video gamer, and inventor. I'm not failing like Ash though, but I'm not getting straight A's either like Misty and Dawn. In fact, Kira wouldn't care if I was a failing student. As long as I could clean, clean, clean. You can say I'm in the middle of Misty and Dawn, and a bit of Ash waay waay, waaaaay deep down somewhere.

"But May," Ash started, "don't you want a normal life?"

"You're seriously asking me that,," I said with a face

"True-"

"Not helping Ash!" Misty and Dawn said, whacking Ash in the head, both had carrying anime veins over their heads. Suddenly we heard something over the loud speaker for a morning announcement. It was the principal.

"_May Maple please come to the Principal's office_."

I heard some oohs coming from the class as I stood up. It was only the natural response. Ninty-nine perfect of the time the principal only called you down to the office if you were in trouble. It was highly unlikely to be called down for any other reason. Walking out of the classroom I closed the classroom door, shielding the loud chatter from inside from continuing to escape until the quiet hallways. When I turned around with my back to the door I found old lady standing behind me and I yelped, that is, until she covered my mouth.

"Calm down child, I am no enemy."

"Then who are you? What are you going here in my school-?"

"I came here to see you, May."

"You know my name. W-Wait, I'll have to talk later. I need to get to the Principal's office." I walked around her until she grabbed my wrist, bringing me back.

"I did that," she said, "It's amazing what you can do when your the queen of a distant land, disguising your voice so that it may not be recognized by those suspicious."

"Wait, you mean... you did that? A-And queen? I don't understand. Who are you?"

"In time you shall find out. I just came here now to see if this was the real deal.I've waited a very long time to meet you man." She had an aged, enthusiastic voice and a firm grip on my hands with both of hers. At that she let go and began to drift away, like nuns in those long black robes. "You may head back to your friends now," the old woman replied, walking away.

"Wait! I still have some questions!" I called out in a yell, running after her. She made a turn down the hall and I ran up that way, running as fast as my sneakers could take me. I had an unusual motivation, only of seeking. Most motivations were more of expecting a break or a regard, those were my motivations in the past. But now, I felt an unfamiliar sensation of motivation, a longing for answers of which I actually didn't have. When I made the same turn, she was no longer anywhere in sight, no where to be found.

Deep breaths followed the stop in my run, hints of disappointment in my breathing, but bigger hints of confusion within my mind. _'Who was that lady?'_

Eventually once I retained a calmer peace of mind I walked back to my home room, seeing my friends waiting for me.

"There you are May. What did the principal want to see you for?" Dawn asked worryingly.

"Uh, n-nothing," I stuttered. "Just asking me about, uh, something for the next school year."

"Whatever," Misty said, not really minding what happened as they resumed their previous conversation. The school day went by fast, unfortunately. I was now at home, midnight. I walked up the stairs and into my room, plopping down onto my mattress.

"So tired," I muffled into my pillow. I got dressed into my pj's. and picked up the loose floorboard, seeing my necklace, which I had taken off after school and hidden away. I always took it out before bed to make sure it was still hidden. "I'm still confused, with that old lady appearing at school and all. Then again, weird stuff like that always happens... but not that weird."

Just really who was she? I decided that to take my mind off it. I really tried. I would take out my gaming device that Ash, Dawn, and Misty gave me for my birthday, along with a Pokemon game they gave with it, however miraculously I had kept it a secret from Kira for so long. I remembered a long time ago when I got a different game device and a Pokemon game from my friends. Kira found out and she confiscated it. And her definition of confiscation is selling it on the Internet.

After a few minutes of playing Pokemon the dark on my covers with the volume all the way down, I saw a bright light fall from the sky right past my window. It was fast was so quick and cunning it was hard to tell if I really saw anything for that matter. I shut my game and stepped up, walking to the window. It was then I saw where the bright light landed, smack dead center in the middle of my backyard.

A worried frown drew upon the lower half of my face. "Just my luck. Kira's probably gonna make me clean that." When I made a closer look, I noticed there was nothing but a huge crater. No meteor, no nothing. Just a big crater with nothing in it. "Just when I thought my day couldn't get any weirder."

I looked at my watch and saw it was 12:30AM. My friends were most likely asleep, but I felt like I really needed to this. At the tender age of 12 I still retained the quality of curiosity, yet also the quality of fear and stubbornness. I took my cellphone and began to call all of them four-way.

"May that you?" Ash asked, yawning.

"You have any idea what time it is?" Misty said in a tired greeting, though I wouldn't exactly say greeting.

"And you're ruining my beauty sleep," Dawn didn't sound sleepy at all for some weird reason.

"Guys please you've gotta come over. This is an emergency," I said in a hushed tone.

"Does it have something to do with Kira?" Dawn asked excitingly, just hoping to get the witch in some kind of trouble and to be caught by it as well.

"No."

"Then night-"

"Wait don't hang up Dawn!" I yelled instantly after. Then I made a huge groan in the form of a sigh. "Listen, just sneak out in normal clothes as fast as your can and get over here."

"Why? What's going on?" Ash asked out of curiosity.

"I'll explain when you get here."

Before any of them could object I hung up, not giving them a chance to question or backfire my request. Seems more like an order when you think back about it, but I couldn't help it. Wouldn't you do the same thing if a giant invisible meteor shot down in the middle of your yard and you were home practically alone?

I got dressed into my only good clothes with my red and white bandanna, used to keep back my light brown hair. I slid on my sneakers with ease before heading over to my attic window. Last I put on my necklace and looked out the window. I grabbed a rope ladder from under the floorboards and dropped it down the window. I had a lot of space under that floorboard if your wondering. I jumped out the window and climbed down my rope ladder without a scratch.

"That went better than last time I tried that," I said to myself, dusting off myself.

"Hey May, you there?" I heard Misty whisper. I ran and opened my wooden picket backyard gate. There stood Dawn, Ash, and Misty all sleepy looking. At least they were all here. Ash was the first to speak.

"Now what did you call us over for-" He stopped in mid sentence after he peered over my shoulder with half pen eyes, which were now wide with alarm and shock, having seen the crater that destroyed my entire backyard.

"Can this be considered an emergency?" I asked Dawn.

"It looks like a 10,000 pound invisible giant turtle jumped into your backyard. Of course this is an emergency!" she retorted, walking forward three steps with her hands messed up deep in her hair.

"What happened here?" Ash asked in obliviousness.

"I saw this bright light fly past my window and land here in the backyard."

"You sure it wasn't some comet that landed here?" Misty asked, looking over the edge of the crater.

"No way, that bright light was too small to be a comet. And right now, I don't see _any_ comet."

"Actually I don't see anything," Ash said, jumping to conclusions.

"That's what she's saying!" Misty retorted with crossed arms.

"I need you guys to come down there with me and investigate. I don't really wanna go alone."

"Do we have to?" Dawn asked in a whiny voice.

"Of course," Misty said back.

"But I'll get my outfit dirty!"

Misty and I rolled our eyes and grabbed her wrists as we slid down the crater and to the ground, much to Dawn's countless protests. It was all dirt, no sign of anything that could have made the crater. I shined my flashlight around the surprisingly large area.

"This is so weird," I said in the beginning."Nothing's here."

"Then maybe whatever it is that made this crater is underground," Misty guessed.

"How are we gonna find the thing underground?" asked Ash.

"Yeah I'm not sticking my hands down there," Dawn said, eyeing her fingernails with contrasting fear.

"Leave it to my water powered metal detector," Misty said proudly, suddenly holding a metallic machine in her hand. I sweatdropped. Where did that come from all of a sudden?

"How do we even know if this things has any metal?" Ash asked her. She winked at him with a smile.

"You never know."

Me, Ash, and Dawn looked at each other confused as question marks popped above their heads. Misty pressed this button and it began to make a beeping drumming sound. The rest of the three of us watched in amazement as she searched the crater for anything suspicious. Typical Misty, you can rely on her, but always expect the unexpected. Eventually the beeping started going off quicker and higher in tone, and its source or reaction was located at the middle of the crater underground.

"It's here?" I asked.

"Yup, we better start digging," Misty suggested.

"Do we have to use our hands?" Dawn asked in eager tiredness.

Ash sweatdropped before facing Misty and me. "How did we meet her, again?"


	2. Weird Truths

We got to our knees and began digging into the ground, all except Dawn who was afraid of getting her clothes dirty.After a while we reached something red. I stuck my hand down the narrow hole we made and grabbed the ball. A ball? Strange. I brought my arm up and dusted off all the dirt. It was a red and white pokeball.

"A Pokeball?" I asked.

"Hm, I guess my metal detector caught something else." Misty said, a little disappointed.

"Well," Ash started, "one person's trash is another person's treasure. How about I take it and-"

I whacked him, keeping my calm face, "Hold on I'm still examining it."

"So it's just some pokeball toy?" Dawn said, looking closer at it.

"That's what I'm guessing." I replied to her.

I felt something inscribed in the bottom and I looked under. There inscribed the name, Maple.

"Hey, isn't that your last name?" asked Ash.

"Yeah, it is," I replied, "Why would it have my last name?"

Dawn shrugged her shoulders, "Beats me."

"More questions I see May." We all turned around. We saw that old lady again. All of us were about to scream until we covered eachother's mouths.

"Y-You're the old lady from the hall this morning!" I shouted.

"You met her before?" Misty, Dawn, and Ash asked, eyeing me strangely.

"Yeah but only for a second. She scared me too."

"Yes but right now that is beside the point May. You found your Pokeball." The old lady's voice said.

"My... Pokeball?"

"So it's May's?" Ash asked.

"Not specifically May's, but it did belong to her family." The old woman assured.

I'm still wondering how the thing made the crater" Dawn said, a little unsure of the old lady.

Misty took the Pokebal and began examining it. "By my guess, this Pokeball has been submerged underground for at least... 90 years."

"90?" I asked, "That's like back in the medieval times."

"Forget medieval. I had no idea Pokemon went back that far. I thought Pokemon was created sometime 10 years ago." Ash said.

"Well obviously Pokemon has something to do with history. May's history to be exact." Misty explained.

"Well ain't this another "normal" night," Dawn announced.

"No Dawn. Ash starting a food fight and Misty unraveling hidden inventions are normal. Finding a 90 year old pokeball and a giant crater with an unknown cause IS NOT A NORMAL NIGHT!" I yelled at her.

"K, k, sorry." Dawn said with her hands in front of her as her defence.

"So what does this mean? I still don't get it. Who are you?" I said, turning my attention back to the old lady.

"My name is Omoigakenaku. But for now you may call me Somei. As for your answers to your past May, you'll need the help of your friends. Although, it will not be enough."

"So what do I have to do? Where do I need to go?" I asked.

"This riddle is who, but not where. Find Drew and too, you must act fair." She replied. Suddenly a large wind picked up and we all shielded ourselves. When the wind went away, old lady Somei was gone.

"S-She's gone." Ash said, starring right where was just just standing.

"You're right." Dawn added, "Man, this is a non-normal night."

""This riddle is who, but not where. Find Drew and too, you must act fair." Well it's clear it's a riddle, but it's still confusing." I said, thinking about what Somei said.

"Let's sleep on it. Tomorrow we can try to figure this thing out." Misty suggested. Dawn, Ash, and Misty went out through the garden door while I climbed back up the rope ladder and into my room. Once inside, I pulled it up and stuffed it back under the floorboard. Clearly, I would be in a huge mess tomorrow with the crater outside.

_'Oh well, a job for another day. Right now I need to get some rest.'_ I took off my necklace and held it in the air, right next to this Pokeball thing. _'This has something to do with my past... I will find out what it is. And no one, not even Kira, will stop me.'_

I hid them both under the floorboard and hopped onto my small mattress, easily falling into a deep sleep. The next day after school, I had the drama club. But I skipped that today to go to the library. I needed info and I needed it now. Right now I was in the isle of medieval history. Of course no one was there since it was very unlikely for people to read this stuff. Lucky for me because I was going through about every single book. After a while I got the 32nd book. It was really old too. The tittle read "Maple" in medieval handwriting. I opened it and guess what, I couldn't read it. It was all medieval calligraphy and I couldn't real a letter. Though, I did see some pictures, most relating to Pokemon.

_'At least part of my guess was right. It has something to do with Pokemon, but, how though?'_ I checked out this book and placed it in my schoolbag so that Kira wouldn't find out. I walked through the door seeing Kira.

"There you are May. You're early." Kira said, taking off her sun glasses,

"Uh, yeah, Drama Club ended early today." I lied.

"Whatever, get to work on the garden. I haven't even seen it yet and I can tell it's a mess from the rain storm a few hours ago. Get to work." Kira commanded. I sighed.

"Yes Mom." I got my gardening took and my backpack and went to the backyard. I had no idea how I was going to explain the crater deal. Even I didn't know how the crater happened. If the Pokeball didn't do it, what did. When I got through the back door, I dropped all my things at the marvelous sight. The crater was gone, nothing, all wet grass and plants, as if nothing ever happened.

_'Impossible... there's just no way it could dissappear like that... could it?'_

I shook it off my mind and worked on repairing the garden. After a few hours my cellphone rang.

"Hello?" I said.

"May? It's me, Ash, and Dawn four way. Where are you right now?" Misty said on the other line.

"My house doing chores."

"Good because we've got big news about last night." Dawn said.

"So do I." I replied.

"When you done with your chores we'll come over." Ash announced.

"You mean midnight?" I asked. And it was true. My chores didn't end until midnight.

"Uh... we'll sneak out again?" Ash suggested.

"Fair enough." I replied. That night when Kira was asleep, I was dressed in my normal clothes, waiting in my room. Suddenly I heard a pebble hit my window and I opened it, dropping my rope ladder so the others could climb up.

"May I knew you were good at gardening but I had no idea you would cover up the entire crater." Misty said, looking back out the window to where the crater used to be.

"I didn't," I told her, "When I got there it was gone, as if nothing ever happened."

"Is that weird?" Dawn asked.

"Yes." I relied, like it was the most obvious thing on the Earth.

"Ok just clarifying."

"Anyway," Ash started, "we did some research on you back at Misty's house."

"And I found this book at the library. It has my last name on it and a bunch of pics of Pokemon. Thing is all the words are written in calligraphy so I can't understand." I added.

"Well, it only makes it clear Pokemon sure wasn't crated 10 years ago, but back in the Medieval Ages." Misty stated.

"So what info did you guys find on me?"

"Well, we didn't exactly FIND info, well, how do I put this." Dawn said, trying to find the right words.

"May it just said you were found." Ash said without any difficulty. But I did find it hard to believe.

"...I was found."

"Yup." Ash said.

"No parents?" I asked.

"Nope," Ash said again.

"No relatives?" I asked?

"Nope." Ash said for the third time.

"Any recolation of before I was 6?"

"And nope" Ash said finally.

"So what I was a 6-year-old brought by the stork?"

"No May," Misty assured, "it's just, they don't have any records of your birth. No info on your family except that your name was May Maple and your birth date."

"Which is?" I asked.

"July 10." Ash said. I slapped my forehead.

"I meant the year Ash."

"Oh, uh, I dunno."

"The year I was born wasn't even in there?" I asked Dawn.

"Sorry May. " She said looking down.

"Just when I thought my life wasn't crazy enough. I wish I could just remember something, anything."

"Do you still have your Pokeball? Maby we can find something." Misty said, coming up with a plan.

I lifted the floorboard and got out my Pokeball and my necklace. I sat down on the floor, starring closely at the two objects. Somehow I knew these two were connected. The Pokeball having my last name engraved at the bottom, and my necklace that I've had ever since ever. Then somehow, I realized my necklace and the circle in the middle of the ball were exactly the same size and shape. I cocked my eyebrows and pressed my necklace against the ball, making the Pokeball make a click kinda sound.

" I opened it?"

"Pokeballs open like that?" Ash said looking over my shoulder.

"Well then what are you waiting for? Open it already." Dawn told me.

"No what if something pops out and tries to attacks us?" Misty said, feeling a little unsure.

"Ok I'll open it, but give me some room." I told them.

I stood up straight as the others backed up. I opened the pokeball, revealing a golden light. Our eyes widened as the golden light engulfed us. Now this was definitely above the scale in crazy. I felt the ground beneath my feet fade as I felt wind coming from below me, as if I was falling. And of all times to be right, it had to be now. When the bright light went away, I realized I was in the middle of the sky with Dawn, Ash, and May. We noticed were were in the sky and then we screamed. I guess the screaming was the trigger for us to start pummeling back to Earth. CRASH

"Oh... this so hurts..." Ash said moving a little.

"Guys is it me or did we just fall on grass?" I asked.We all quickly sat up and looked at the ground. It was grass, just as I had said. I looked at my surroundings. It was a vast plain with a blue sky with gentle white clouds, blowing gently against the breeze.

"I could have sworn we were just in your room May." Misty said, looking around.

"We're not dreaming are we?" Ash asked, hoping it was just a dream.

"AH MY SKY GOT A GRASS STAIN!" You could guess who said that, Dawn. rubbing his ear since he was just right next to her.

"Yup we're awake alright." Ash said, rubbing his ear since he was just right next to her.

"But... where are we?" I asked. I looked down at my hands and noticed my necklace, but not the pokeball. I chained the necklace around my neck and stood up. I tried to see up to the horizon. There appeared to be a town of some sort.

"Hey guys, I see a city up ahead. Maby we can get some help there." I said.

"Aw we have to walk all the way there?" Dawn said, shielding her eyes from the sunlight.

"W-Why we could take those two horses" Misty suggested .She pointed her arm at these "two horses". Boy was she wrong. We were starring at two, live, Tauros Pokemon.

"Misty you do know they are pokemon don't ya?" Ash asked Misty.

"I-I'm trying to not believe it." Misty said, still trying to accept the fact she was seeing pokemon.

"Well believe it because they have saddles and they're our only ticket to civilization. Come on, lets' go. I'll ride one with Misty and Dawn you'll ride one with Ash."

"Why Ash? I don't trust him with the reigns of a Tauros." Dawn said crossing her arms.

" I'm right here you know." Ash said with a little anime vein.

"Your point?" She asked.

I sighed, "Ok fine, Dawn you ride with me. Misty you ride with Ash. Happy?"

"Yes May." Dawn said satisfied.

Now I was ridding a Tauros with Dawn behind me. Ash was on the other Tauros with Misty behind him. By now we made it to town and now, I was really freaked. The houses were old style, and seriously old style. All of the people's clothing were dresses and tights. Feather hats and rags. It really was like the Medieval Ages. And to make it even more crazy, there were even more Pokemon roaming around with their "Trainers". And obviously, me and the others were getting stares from the strangers. Probably because we were ridding Tauros and that we were modern clothing, which obviously wasn't here.

"Hey May, have any idea where we're going?" Ash asked.

"Not a clue. Let's just find a place to leave these Tauros and then we'll look around for something." I said.

We came across a farming area. There were more pokemon in these fences, but they had plenty of roam space. But the owners' house, it was so tiny compared to the farm. Almost like a small cottage of some sort. I looked and saw some of the Pokemon running towards a boy. Apparently the boy was there to keep the Pokemon. He had green hair and green eyes. Beside him was a Roselia. While I was lost in my daze, I was broken out of it by a man's voice. And this man, happened to be a knight on an Arcanine. There were more knights and Arcanines behind him.

"Halt! You travelers dare steal the queen's Tauros?!"

"Q-Queen's?!" Misty shouted.

"W-We didn't know! Honest!" Dawn yelled, trying to make us seem innocent.

"Quiet and get off. You four are coming with us."

All of us jumped off the Tauros and those knights grabbed us, chaining our hands behind our backs. So this is what it was like to be arrested. Not the best feeling. I could feel that boy's gaze on me and my friends. Something seemed... familiar about him. Green hair and a Roselia. Those Knights brought us to this large castle. We were brought to the throne room, where that old woman, Somei. All of the knights bowed down, forcing us to bow as well.

"What brings you to my presence?"

"Queen Somei, these travelers have broken the law of Taurous ridding."

Me and the others made a really questioning look. It was against the law to rise Tauros? How's that a law?

"...It is ok." Somei replied.

"But your majesty-"

"Leave it be, these are our guests."

"They are?" asked the knights.

"We are?" me and the others asked.

"You are. " she said standing, "May Maple, our Princess has returned."

"Princess?" the knights asked in disbelief.

"Princess?" Ash, Misty, and Dawn asked.

"Princess?!"

Hope you enjoyed this one


	3. The Medievel Ages

"Knights, please leave us." Queen Somei commanded, much to my relief. The knights in her order stood up and unchained my friends and me, leaving then shutting the two corridors on their way out.

"You're that old woman Somei, from before." I said in disbelief. The strangeness of everything was still sinking in.

"Yes, that is me."

"You're the queen of this place?" Dawn asked, speaking aloud my exact thoughts.

"Indeed. And May is our Princess."

Nevermind. "Whoa, whoa, hold on. I, am just a kid. I'm no Princess," I said with a very un-straight voice. There was a bit off trying laughter in my tone, like I was trying to believe this was all some practica joke. I mean, come on. Me a princess? That's like saying Ash's a body-builder who wants to go pro-wrestling.

"Oh but you are, May Maple. You are of Royal Blood, the next for the throne," Queen Somei continued, taking this a lot more thouroughly than us.

Luckily Misty was bold enough to speak while I recollected myself. "Hold it, where are we anyway? How did we get here?" the red-head asked, wanting answers first, just like the rest of us.

"This, is my kingdom. Petalburg. And as for how you got here I suppose you found the Maple Family's Pokeball," she assumed.

"If you mean the thing that had the glowing light inside then I guess we had that," I replied.

"That necklace... ," Somei said, walking towards me. "Belonged to your mother. I must say 'm very proud you still have it.... May, you are my granddaughter."

"Your... granddaughter?" I asked. First princess now extended family. Just say I'm half alien and I don't think I'll be that surprised.

"Yes. Your mother was my daughter, and you, are her daughter. You are a Princess."

"So your her grandmother." Dawn said in realization. "Wow... This is the weirdest Cinderella story ever."

"Wait let me get this straight. That pokeball...portal... thing... It transported us to some, pokemon universe?" Ash asked, looking back on what had just happened.

Somei laughed in response. "Oh no, that pokeball-portal-thing transported you all back in time. Silly," the old woman laughed with a waving hand.

"S-Say what?" my voice reacted, slowly forming a sweatdrop at the side of my head. As much as I wanted to take a step back, heck even just run out of the place, I found myself frozen.

"We're seriously in the Medieval Times... And there were really Pokemon back then." Misty repeated. Someone as logical as her wouldn't believe this stuff would she?

"Then, if this is the Medieval Ages... and May is the Queen's granddaughter..." Dawn tried to figure out. Now all of them turned heads towards my direction, only furthering my nervousness level. Couldn't they realize I'm just as confused as they are about this situation?

"May are you sure you're 12?" Ash asked me, only to recieve a whack in the head from Dawn and Misty. That was the last thing they wanted to speak first.

"After, what I just found out, I don't know what to think," I whined, a tired look on my face.

"Well, you are 12, thanks to the ice. But technically you are so much older. Perhaps even older than me," said Somei. "And that's saying something."

"I don't understand," I pulled on, promting her to give a better explanation for these, these assumptions. Apart of me was hoping this was all some mistake or dream, but weirdly enough, a tiny bit of me was also hoping for... more...?

"When you were 6, Petalburg was drawn into war. The kingdom was not safe, and their target was the royal family. Your father went to fight in the battle, and your mother took you to the underground hidden tunnel for protection. The tunnels let to a secret air pocket with water leading to the ocean. Unfortunately, the enemy had followed. Your mother threw you into the water and used her Beautifly to freeze you in an ice burg. Your mother died there, but at least you would be safe for a time," Queen Somei explained.

I blinked my eyes. Was I supposed to be more sad and upset that my parents gave their lives for me (if this story was true anyway) or more surprised and speachless that was left in ice for who knows how many years? "I was... incased in ice?... Trapped in time?... But, that's impossible."

"Then you were probably found in our time and sent to the orphanage with memory loss," said Misty with a pondering stature. "You were raised in our time period but had no idea about your origins. Now it all makes sense."

"Misty who's side are you on!?" I retorted immedietly, striking her Dawn and Ash by astonishment. "You don't honestly believe all this do you?!"

"Do we really have much of a choice, May?" Ash defended, trying to calm me down. "Until we find proof to use against this, we're just gonna have to go with the idea you just might be, weirdly enough, an actual princess."

"And besides, being a princess sounds pretty neat!" Dawn grinned, throwing her arm over my hunched shoulders. "The rich life, and all the princess and adventure and romance!"

I couldn't help but make an estranged face at her statement. "Dawn that's, not exactly pursuading me to be a princess."

"Being a princess is not your choice. You are born of royal blood, and there is nothing you can do to change that," Somei lectured, coming up in front of me. "However, I am giving you a choice. Before your thirteenth birthday, you must choose weather to stay here in the Petalburg Kingdom, or go back your time the Future." She was seriously giving me this choice? No doubt would I pick to go back to my time, but suddenly there was a tugging question in my chest that I couldn't help but ask.

"But what will happen to this place without a ruler?" I asked curiously.

"Obviously I won't live forever. Without a ruler... I do not know the outcome," Somei told sadly. "I also worry for the Pokemon's well-being."

"But in our time there was no such thing as Pokemon. They only exist in video games," Misty remembered.

"So your saying the pokemon became extinct?" Ash asked in disbelief.

"I don't know," Misty said disappointingly. "I wish I knew what happened."

"Me, too," Dawn agreed. "Maybe while we're here we can figure it out. How long do we stay, anyway?"

I put a finger to my chin, trying to recall my birth date. "My birthday is in July so..."

"You have one month to decide May," Queen Somei announced, "On your thirteenth birthday, you must choose to accept the tile as Princess of Petal Burg, or you can go home through the portal."

"What about my friends?"

"They may stay or they may leave. The choice is yours, May," Somei told. She then put on an assuring smile. "And don't worry too much over the subject. Wyrrying never does anyone any good no does it?" I made a small smile at her in thanks. "How about I lead you to your rooms. Young man you will get your own room. May your old room had sleeping spaces. You shall share with your two other friends."

"Guess this is our vacation time" Ash grinned, folding his arms over his head. He then turned towards the queen swiftly and carefreely. "And I almost forgot. I'm Ash Ketchum"

"And I'm Dawn Santezz."

"My name's Misty Waterflower."

Somei smiled warningly at them as well. "I hope you enjoy your stay here in Petalburg. You are excused. In the mean time I'm afraid I must say I will be out of town for a meeting in a distant neighboring kingdom. I'll be a few days but I trust you four can take care of yourselves." As she concluded her farewell we one of us bowed, and as a result the rest of us followed the action. I can't say we've ever experienced ever being around royalty, so we had na excuse. Once we left the room, we began wandering the halls of the castle. A real medieval castle.

" I can't believe what's happening right now," I said in a lighter mood, my curious eyes wandering everywhere. "Each second I wonder if this is all a dream that we'll wake up from."

"Me too," Ash nodded in agreement. "But what are you going to do May? You know, about the princess thing?"

I've been asking myself the same thing ever since my so called grandmother announced the ordeal. "To be truthfully honest I don't know. I feel like I should stay because it's my duty, but at the same time another side of me feels like I should go back home with you guys. Sure Kira may still boss me around to death and torture me like there's no tomorrow but you guys are my friends and you clearly can't stay here forever since you all have family to think about and, and... Oh this is so stressful!"

"Well you have a month to decide! Come on let's go to our rooms and we'll have a girl talk!" Dawn said cheerful minded once we reached my living quarters. Leave it to Dawn to remain in a good mood even at such times like these. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me into my assumed room, leaving the other two outside in the red-floor halls.

"I better go with them. Guess means you go to your room Ash," Misty said with a small amused laugh.

"Fine, I can take a hint," Ash said with his hands up. "I'll be across the hall. Knock if May's trying to find a hiding place." Misty shook her head and shoved the boy a little before walking into their seperate rooms. Meanwhile inside mine, after I looked around, I saw it very suiting for a medieval princess. There were was one Canopy bed and two fancy couches that I'd kill to have as a bed back home. And then there was a huge wooden wardrobe with a circular mirror standing beside it. Dawn was the first to the wooden-painted closet to see dozens of colorful gowns.

"Oh my gosh I'm in heaven!" Dawn squealed, trying to hold in her high-pitched screams.

"Dawn do you really have to think about clothes right now?" I asked, taking a well-needed seat on the bed. It was actually quite soft.

"Quit being so up-tight, May. Be a girl for once!" Dawn said, pulling out two dresses from the rather small wardrobe, which had so much space astoundingly.

"Dawn's got a point," Misty said, walking over. "You've got a month anyway. Just be happy you're not at home doing chores."

"Hmph, believe it or not I think I'd rather do just that," I said with an exasperated sigh.

"Well while you take on your self-pity, I saw we get out of our twenty-first century clothes because we are obviously out of style," Dawn said upsettingly, holding two more outfits from the endless wardrobe. "And you both know how I feel about what I wear!"

"Yeah, that'll get your mind off things," Misty added as she rubbed my back.

It was a bit comforting, but as I looked up seeing Dawn go thorugh multi-colored wedding gowns, I couldn't help but sweatdrop. "You guys know how I hate gowns. Can't I just wear what I have now and stick out like the sore-thumb I am?"

"Well too bad missy. You're a Princess and in this time I don't see any girl wearing pants so move it!" Dawn shouted, grabbing me and pushing me behind a changing wall, which some unneccesary help from Misty, that traitor. All the complaining I was making along with Misty's and Dawn's constant overpowering and excited sequeals set a disturbance on this floor, causing Ash in his room to look up from his bed where he was resting.

"Girls," he said with an eyeroll before laying back.

After much struggling and shouting, I found myself stuck in a long dress with red and white, corset and all. My old clothes stored away in a woven basket. With a heavy sigh I walked out from behind the changing wall and was brought to look at myself in the full-lenght mirror. Misty had a yellow and orange one white Dawn had a blue and pink one.

"This is so not how I planned my Thursday morning," I said, still in a whining mood.

"Cheer up May! I know let's go explore the castle," suggested Misty as she retied her orange hair, which Dawn had tried to let go down freely, but ultimately Misty prefered her unusual choice of hairstyle.

"Good idea! Here we're considered VIP guests! Let's go get Ash!" Dawn supported, as if she were at a school baseball game. Together the two girls ran out of the room, leaving me to myself.

"I've never seen them so excited before," I said aloud. It was then I noticed a window I hadn't seen. Probably to busy sulking to notice. Now bored, I curiously looked out my high balcony window and saw the plains behind the castle a brighter side to this all. Probably my favorite feature to this entire property. I could also see the farm we stopped by earlier. Under this big tree growing Pecha Berries, pink berries I recognized from the Pokemon games, I saw that green haired boy and his Roselia resting in its spread out shade. The boy was reading a book, peaceful looking.

"It's that guy again," I said. "Why does he seem so familiar?" Finally deciding to stop starring out into space, I turned around to my wardrobe, seeing a red cloak left from what Dawn _didn't_ touch, which was kind of surprising. I put it over my shoulders and ran out of the castle, hidden. Since I was apparently a princess, the town would surely find out and uneeded fame and recognition was the last thing I needed. I ran around the castle and to the plains out back, miraculously actually finding the exit. Running in my sneakers, which I wisely put on after Dawn and Misty left, I began to close in on the pecha berry tree. Once I arrived in the shade with the green haired boy reading his book, he looked up, seeing me.

"What do you want," he said rudely. I cocked my eyebrow at him. That was some way to treat a newcomer.

"I saw you at that farm," I replied, remembering him.

"And I saw you being arrested by the Royal Knights."

A vein appeared at the back of my head. "It was a misunderstanding. As you can see I'm no longer arrested."

The green-haired boy eyed my wear. "And I see you've made a change of clothing."

"I'm from... out of town."

"So, what do you want?" he repeated from before, his eyes returning to his book.

"I merely out of curiosity. You seem familiar to me. What's your name?"

Keeping his eyes to his book, he replied from behind it. "If you must know, I'm Drew of Petalbrg." He shifted his eyes up. "And it's only common courtosy that you tell me yours, unless you didn't know that."

My eyes narrowed at him. "May."

"Of Petalburg?"

"No, just May, Maple."

Drew closed his book, apprently my words having caught his attention. "Maple huh? Of they Royal Family?"

"That's me," I said, not exactly too keen on agreeing that I was 'royal'. I'm anything but that.

His eyes glowered at mine. "That's impossible. Everyone knows that the queen is the last of the Royal family."

"Well, I'm her grand daughter, May Maple of Petalburg."

There was a long scilence between us two. Finally he put his book down beside his Roselia and crossed his arms. "You're telling the truth aren't you."

"Well it's not like me to lie... most of the time."

_'Hm, she hasn't changed a bi,.'_ Drew thought inwardly. "How how old are you anyway, thirteen?"

"Twelve." I replied.

"Oh, so you're not _officially_ Petalburg's Princess."

"No, not until next month."

"I see," Drew said. "Interesting. Then I guess until then I don't need to treat you like one. I can still act rude to you."

I crossed my arms. "Well I didn't ask for you to be polite, so you can be rude all you want."

"Fine with me, _Princess._" I glared at him. Only a few mere seconds and he knew that name got on my nerves. Fortunatly enough, I think, there were voies to prevent this from becoming something else, possibly something bad.

"MAY!"

I turned around and saw Misty, Ash, and Dawn running towards me. Ash too had medieval clothing, probably Misty's and Dawn's doing. (It's like the one from the Lucario movie.) "Hey guys."

"Why'd you run from the castle like that? We've looked everywhere for you," Dawn tried to scold, out of breath.

"So these are your friends," Drew asked with an arched eyebrow. "I remember them. They were with you when you guys were being arrested."

"Oh be quiet," I said instantly. "Thisis Ash, Misty, and May. Guys this is Drew."

"Nice to meet you," Misty and Dawn greeted, instantly taking a friendly liking to the appearingly nice boy.

Suddenly a light bulb flashed on top of Ash's head. "Hey isn't that name 'Drew' in that riddle Somei told us-?"

"Shut up Ash," Misty said, whacking him.

"Hehe, they do that often," I told Drew with a sheepsih smile, waving my hand at them. However my arm was suddenly grasped yet again by Dawn.

"Anyway May let's go shopping! Me you and Misty haven't had any girl time in forever!"

"Wasn't my bedroom enough tortue?" I reminded. "And that was just five minutes ago!"

"Whatever let's go!" Dawn cheered. She grabbed me and a surprised Misty, running all the way across the grass field towards town, leaving Ash and Drew alone sweatdropping.

"Is that normal too?" Drew asked Ash, still laying in the same spot under the pecha berry tree.

"Kinda. Dawn always liked shopping. Not even earthquakes and tonadoes would stop her. Especially in a time like this, I guess she needs a distraction."

"In a time like this?"

"Eh, it's complicated. So, how'd you know May?" Ash said, sitting down against the tree with his new male friend. A nice change for him.

"She came here and asked me my name. She said I looked familiar or something," Drew said, closing his eyes. "She's front-forward and straight to the point I'll give her that."

"Familiar huh?" Ash repeated. "... Uh, I know this might sound weird but did you happen know May sometime you were six?"

"Why should I answer you?" Drew asked with one eye open at the boy. "I'll tell you if you tell me why you're asking such a question."

WHat did he have to loose, he thought. "May sorta got some memory loss and, well, she doesn't remember anything from when she was a kid. Since you lived around here I was hoping you knew something."

"So that's why she didn't recognize me," Drew commented to himself, unaware he had said that out loud. "Either way, she still has the same troublesome personality; curiosity getting the best of her."

"So you do know her," Ash realized, his mood changing slightly into that of astonishment.

"I guess you can say that. We met when we were five and got to know each other for a year or so. Then came the invasion into town during the war and the Royal Family was killed off. The king died in battle and the queen was slaughtered underground. The princess was announced missing. I put our former friendship in the back of my head, tried to forget about her. I'll deny it later, but I kind of missed her. Her memory stayed there in the back of my mind for a while, that is, until May actually came to me."

"So that's what it is," Ash said after listening to Drew's story. Quite honestly he felt kind of proud of himself to have been the first to find out about this, unlike usual times in the present where as he would be the last to know of things. But how, he wondered, would May react when she found out about this? Ash remmebered my reaction to Somei's explanation, which was already bad enough as it was. Did he really want a repeatence of that so soon?


	4. Drew's Help

I was walking back to the castle, each of us with a cloak to hide ourselves and our newfound identities. And of course, courtesy of Dawn, her's and Misty's matched their dresses. "For a town with no electricity, it sure sells pretty good stuff," Dawn commented satisfying, looking at all the bags in her arms. I must have underestimated her muscle power for her to be able to carry those along.

"I agree to that," Misty told, holding just as many supplies, and strangely just as confortably. "I was even able to get some materials so I can invent more things. There's so much stuff in the Medieval Ages that don't even exist back in our present time. It's like working from scratch!"

An awkward sweatdrop made its way towards Dawn's head as it dripped downwards. "Yeah you invent your things Misty." She then noticed my quiet demeanor as I trailed behind in silence. Always one to never ignore a friend she called out as if normally. "Hey May, you haven't said a word at all on our little shopping spree. You okay?"

"Or would you like us to start addressing you as 'Princess May' now?" Misty said jokingly, trying to lift my somewhat down spirits.

I quickly replied once they mentioned me, as to not show any nervousness"I'm okay guys, really. I just have a lot on my mind right now, that's all."

"Ooh! Was it that Drew boy? He looked like he caught your eye," Dawn suggested with a winx, only for Misty to make a distorted face. Only Dawn would think it was boy troubles. Her fellow red-head, on the other hand, inwardly proposed my problems consisted of other topics surrounding our time.

"Are you kidding?" I ashed Dawn in disbelief. "I barely know the guy. And he's pretty rude if you asked me."

"Well he looked sweet," Misty said, trying to defend the stranger. She wasn't one to insult people she didn't know.

Dawn nodded vigorously. "Yeah! I mean sure he's probably in a lower class but still!" Misty sighed depressingly with a tilted head.

"Yeah, still," I repeated uninterested, kind of feeling the same way.

Seeing me not taking her seriously, Dawn stubornly and hard-headedly marched up in front of me and halted our walking, authorative hands resting femeninly on her hips. "May, you're almost thirteen, and you haven't even had a crush on one guy back in the present! Just try it now while you've got nothing to loose! We traveled back in time for heaven's sakes how much worse could things possibly get-?!"

"Dawn I don't think your assumed persuasion skills are working on her," Misty said, pushing her aside gently so she herself could stand in front of the confused brunette I presume myself to br. " I'm sure everything will be fine, May. Everything always is, remember? Like the time we went to that after-night rave and got arrested and put in juvi."

"And the time when we had to rescue Misty's pet fish from the school's water supply system in the cafeteria!" Dawn remembered suddenly butting in with a dreaming smile. Where does she remember stuff like that? How does stuff like that even _happen_ to us? "Oh! When that bank robber broke into school and tried to steal all our money during study hall and you got all of the class to beat the snot out of him!" she added, punching her fist in the air, trying to imitate me.

"We missed our math test for that," Misty smiled, only for me to look at her in disbelief. Was she actually agreeing with Dawn in this?

"And when Ash accidentally destroyed his mom's 7-layer birthday cake and you had us remake another one exactly like it a second before his mom made it through the door!" Dawn said dreamily, remembering the tasty and miraculous 7-layer cake.

"Ooh! And also also when we had to sneak into school at night so we could get Ash's Pokemon video games from Mr. Hagurn's confiscation drawer," Misty added with a bright smile and a pointed hand upright.

"Not you, too," I said depressingly at the red-head.

"Oh I remember that! Boy did I ever find the perfect chance to wear my slimming black spy outfit." Dawn slyly grinned, holding the sides of her slim figure.

"Okay guys I get it, I get it," I said with my hands up, trying to bring the two back down to earth. "I know we always come through in the end, no matter how strange or weird things always seem to end up, but this time it isn't as simple. I have to make a choice one way or another. Don't you two get that?" I looked down at my medieval shoes. I had the unusual habbit of flexxing my toes inside my socks whenever I made some big speach or talk. I took the two secone oppertunity to realize I missed wearing socks, on account I wasn't wearing any anymore. "If I decide to stay, you guys will have to leave and I'll never see you again. But if I decline the throne, one day Petalburg will have no ruler and it'll be all because of me."

Misty drew on a sympathetic half smile and went back to he rmotherly sense, coming back to my side and holding my shoulder. "Hey don't worry May. I'm sure you'd be a great ruler if you decided to stay," she said placing her hand on my shoulder. "You'd make an awesome princess, for one."

"Misty I don't know the first thing about being a princess! Eating proper, walking proper, dressing proper, talking proper-"

"May just chillax," Dawn shrugged off with a nonchalant look. "You were never one to over-react and now's not a good time to start. And besides, it's not good for stress and complexion."

"Sure it isn't, Dawn," Misty went along, only for me to look to the side. If only it were that easy. After we resumed our walk we shortly arrived at the castle garden again. It was the same natural beauty it was when we first left early afternoon. Except there we saw someone very familiar tending to the flowers in the bushes, trimming unwanted thorns and bruning the overgrown leaves. It was a young redhead, somewhat a shade of pink, wearing typical medieval clothing. _Also_ known as Nurse Joy in the Pokemon Video Games. In the middle of her dress she had a red-colored stone embedded on it, instead of her nurse's hat with the colored hospital crosses.

"Please tell me that isn't Nurse Joy in real life," I said with an expectant look on my face. When you see a video game character that's when you really start to question the laws of reality.

"It's her alright," replied Misty shockingly, not believeing what her own eyes were projecting to her, as well.

"Ah, Princess May. It's been a while since I have seen you," Nurse Joy greeted upon seeing us, standing and bowing her head to me as we came over. I heard Misty and Dawn chuckle from behind me from the unusual greeting.

"Um... good to see you too?" I greeted back awkwardly. Did I _know her_ know her? Because I sure don't recall knowing any Nurse Joy. Ever.

Nonetheless the charming woman just gave me her signature warm smile. "No need for white lying, Princess May. Before the Queen left for her trip, she told all my sisters and me about your memory loss. My sisters and I work here at the palace grounds as your maids."

"Maids?" I repeated. We have maids??

"Yes, we serve her majesty, as well as you. The queen was so kind to have given us commoners this job, otherwise my sisters and I would be living on the streets."

"Commoners? Wow, I really am back in the Medieval times." I said, making a sad look.

"Need not worry Princess May. You don't have to worry about us lower class people."

"But isn't that what Royalty does? Help their people?" I asked.

"Partially, but they mostly tend to their land and neighboring kingdoms, no time for their people. Luckily, Queen Somei has time for pretty much everything. I don't know how she does it, but she is as great a leader as your mother and father were May."

"My mother and father..." I paused, looking down. I felt kind of guilty more than remorseful, not knowing my father and mother. Even worse, not remembering them. "I wish knew who they were."

"You'll remember eventually, May," comforted Nurse Joy. "Memories can't really be erased forever. Just think of them as... lost. They can be found if you search hard enough."

I smiled at the ever kind Nurse Joy. "Thanks, Nurse Joy."

"Hey May!" shouted a familiar voice. I looked at the entrance to the palace and saw Ash and Drew there, Misty and Dawn looking up as well. Ash seemed to be the enthusiastic one while Drew was following shortly behind, his hands in his pockets. Since when did those two become such good friends? "Guys this castle is so cool!! The rooms are so huge and the kitchen has so much good old-fashioned food!" he cried out of pure delightment. I didn't know whether to assumed he thought he was in heaven or he had gone crazy. Perhaps both, even. Same old Ash I guess.

Dawn sweatdropped with a half to the side of her face. "It doesn't really surprise me that he'd mention the kitchen first."

"Come on guys, how about we go inside and get something to eat?" Misty suggested to Dawn and me as the two boys made their way here over to us. "We could use a bite. And I'm starved, anyway."

A small smile crept up onto my face. "I guess we can. I'll cook," I volunteered. But then I felt sudden stares from Nurse Joy and Drew, like feeling sudden chills in the midst of autumn. I said I'd cook. Is that much of a big deal here? "W-What..."

"It's not normal for a _Princess_to do her own cooking, let alone for her people," Drew said stereotypically, his hands still in his pockets. He said the word princess bitterly, though it could've just been my mind.

"Well I'm not normal, " I told him in remark, for some reason not wanting to look inferior in front of him. "Besides, in my _home_ time, I can cook, for your information." I crossed my arms.

"What?" Drew replied, not really understanding what I meant by 'home time'.

I just rolled my eyes, "Just come on." I ran on inside and the others chased after me. I could hear Misty and Dawn calling for me to slow down. Normally we would've been okay with splitting up, but being stuckin a Medieval world, we must've accustomed to sticking together as much as possible.

"She's a pretty fast runner," Drew complimented, watching us disappear.

"Well she is the most athletic girl in our school," Ash stated proudly. "She can do over twenty push-ups and can do laps around our gym without getting too tired."

Besides not know half of what Ash had just said, the boy understood what his message mainly was. "Girls being athletic? That's new."

Dawn got an anime vein at the back of her head by the castle door while she glared back at the green haired boy. Even though she and us were pretty far, she had realitively good enough hearing to hear the boy's conversation while Misty and I tried to pull the large door open." I'm really starting to get why May doesn't like this guy."

"Dawn would you not mutter to yourself and help us open this thing?" I asked while straining my voice. Dawn came to help and slowly we began to re-open the palace entrance.

After some running, we finally found the kitchen down this long endless hall. It looked like one of those old style kitchens, but it seemed usable enough for me to know where everything is. And as Ash had said before, it was huge. And I mean huge. I made something for us to eat in a matter of minutes, at least something recognizable. Not like the had microwave ovens in this time period. We ate our meal for the day.

By now it was night and Misty and Dawn were asleep in their beds, slumbering regally and peacefully. Ash was asleep in his room and Drew was back at his home. I was looking at myself in the mirror, since I just put on my night gown. This is something I really had to get used to since I usually went to sleep in raggy clothing. I sighed, realizing this was my first night with a REAL bed, but for some reason I couldn't fall asleep the way I usually would back at my 'home'. I envied how serene Dawn and Misty could rest where as I couldn't so easily. Instead I got up two stairs and opened my two corridors to the room's balcony.

I stepped out barefoot, letting the gentle breeze fall upon me. Smiling I enjoyed the feeling of cold concrete under my bare feet. I didn't have to worry about stepping on pointy pebbles or broken glass from soda bottles. I walked up to the center of the balcony, overlooking the Kingdom of Petalburg in its own slumber. I soon found myself speaking aloud my private thoughts. "That Drew... why does he seem like I've met him before?"

"Maybe because you _have_ met him before, Princess May," answered an unexpected and unfamiliar voice from behind me. Hesitantly yet quickly I turned around seeing a hooded figure. In front of him was the Pokemon I recognized to be a Cacturne. I could see some long purple hair from below his hood, and the essence of bad mystery kind of, well, creeped me out. SO by human instinct I backed up as much as I could, but I reached the stone railing of the balcony. Looking down I saw it was a really long way from where I stood.

Deciding to hold up some kind of argument I turned back around to face the stranger. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" I demanded, just like in those cliche Tv shows you'd see back home. Damsel in distress, new bad guy,, of course you're ask the typical question.

The man took off his hood. "My name is Harley, Princess May. And shall I say that it is finally a pleasure to meet you once again."

I glared at him. Anyone with a brain could tell thus guy was no good. I mean evil entrance, dark timing, polite gesture, like, yeah. "What do you want from me?"

"OH Princess May, I thought you were smarter than that. You were the target during the Invasion 6 years ago after all, but then you mysteriously disappeared. Now that you, another heir of the Maple Family, has come back, there could be the chance you'll rule after Queen Somei passes away."

"You never answered my question."

Harley just smirked. "I'm afraid that can't be told just yet, Princess May. But know this, you will not be ruling any time soon. Cacturn use Poison Needle!"

My eyes widened as the glowing purple needles shot towards me. My instincts kicked in once more and I dodged them just barely, but falling over the balcony's edge in the process. I concentrated and tried to grab onto something before I could reach the ground, which didn't exactly give me a lot full of time. Luckily my hand caught onto a tree branch and I made a flip, catching onto a window sill before making another flip to land on a lower tree branch. I then landed on the ground gracefully, without a scratch.

"I guess those years of fighting-video games with Ash finally paid off," I said tiredly, catching my breath.

"I know you're there Princess May! You can't hide forever!"

I got to my feet and began running. Of course my feet ached for I was still barefoot, and I ran along the road, looking for anywhere to hide. I found an old well and I stopped to take a break from running there. I slowly slid to the ground, catching my breath yet again. The ride of both excitement and danger felt rather thrilling, but not as thrilling that I'd wish to live though that event again.

"At least... he's gone," I panted.

"Who's gone?" asked a familiar voice.

I yelped and looked up, only seeing Drew. I made a sigh of relief at that. "Oh it's just you," I replied with a face.

Drew cocked his eyebrow at me. "What are you doing now? I know you like sneaking out of the castle but this late at night?... And barefoot?"

"You think I wanted this? Some guy named Harley sneaked onto my balcony and tried to kidnap me I think. I barely dodged his Cacturne' Poison Needle attack."

"You dodged? On your balcony?" Drew repeated. "And you ended up here.... how?"

"I sorta.... jumped off the ledge, hehe." As I explained this to him wearing a sheepish look I didn't wish to have, I rubbed the back of my neck to wipe off the sweat from my previous run.

"_That_ I find hard to believe."

I crossed my arms, furrowing my eyebrows at the pre-teen. "So what are you doing out here at this hour?"

"I came to get some water from the well, obviously," he flipped his hair. "Apparently I'll have to put that on hold. Your feet - they're bleeding."

"They're what-?" I looked down and realized the bottom heels of my feet had a lot of small cuts on them, bleeding. I musn't have noticed because I was too scared to stop and check..

"Oh, well what do you know. They are," I said in a non-panicking, calm way.

"Wow, you sure know how to endure pain easily," Drew commented untruthfully.

"Could you not say every sentence to me with sarcasm?" I asked him with a vein. "And so what. Just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I'm helpless, Drew. Geez how much worse could you possibly get." Deciding to head back I stood up, only to find myself falling back down on my bottom, which only added to my currently pain. It seemed my feet finally given out.

"Uhuh, not helpless."

I glared up at him. He just sighed and picked me up so my arm was over his shoulder. I felt a weird warm feeling at his touch but I didn' really seem to have a choice as he was holding me. "H-Hey, what are you doing?" I asked unsure of where this was going.

"Walking you to my place. That Harley guy might still be at the palace so you can't go home yet. Besides, my house is close by. And if you walk on your own you'll only be hurting yourself." He closed his eyes as we walked. "And knowing the strictness of everyone around here, I'd probably be punished for leaving you on your own."

"Oh, so you are helping me," I finalized for him.

"Hey don't get used to it. This is a one time thing got it?"

"Yeah yeah whatever," I said pouting off to the side. How rude, again.

He began walking as I tried to keep from falling again. Whenever I would almost collapse over my legs Drew would hold onto me tighter. I winced a few times when my feet touched the ground. Drew noticed this and oblivious to me, he felt secretly sympathetic for his old childhood friend. After a short walk we arrived at that farm he told me about. We walked into his small house and I took in its small surroundings. He sat me on a wooden chair and I took a huge breath, rubbing my feet to clean some of the dry blood off. Luckily it wasn't much. Just a frew scratches, right? It was then than an orange pinkish haired woman walked in.

"About time you got back Drew- Oh my gosh who's this? What happened to her feet? Oh I'll get the bandages. Be right back Drew." She walked out the room as I stared in her direction, then back at Drew. For a stranger, she had an unusual fast speech.

"Who's that?" I asked curiously.

"That's my step-sister Soladad. My parents adopted her when I was little."

I never knew Drew had a sister. "Where are your parents?"

He kept a still face. "Not here. They died during the invasion of Petalburg 6 years ago."

He said it like it was any other ordinary question. I would've answered the same way, trying to hide the remorse with causality. "I'm sorry, Drew."

"It doesn't matter anymore. Just forget about it." Drew looked away when he said that.

Eventually to ease the room's sudden awkwardness Soladad came back into the room with this woven basket, supposedly the emergency kit or something of the sort. She bent down in front of me and began cleaning my feet of its cuts, which hurt at first. It's only to be expected. And then in the end she began bandaging them.

"Well I think Drew introduced me to you already. So who are you?" Soladad asked kindly, looking up at me.

"I'm May."

Soladad rose her eyebrows at me in shock. "May Maple? Princess May?" Was my name really that recognizable in this time period?

Drew sighed sounding annoyed. "Yes, that's her."

Soladad bowed her head to me. "Princess May it's a pleasure to see you again."

I blinked twice in confusement. "We've met?"

"She got memory loss when she was 6. Let's not talk about it alright?" Drew told Solidad who was apparently lost.

"Uh, if you say so Drew," Soladad said unsure, looking at him weirdly.

'_So_ _I did meet them before. Just who were these people?_' I asked in my mind. "You don't need to bow your head to me Soladad. And you don't have to call me Princess, either. If we've met before then we're friends, right?"

Soladad smiled up at me. "At least she remembers that. Thank you, May. So tell me, how'd you end up like this so late? What happened?"

What did happen, anyway? I though back to the late evening before explaining to Solidad my story about escaping from Harley and jumping escaping, thus leading to my injured feet and meeting of Drew by the town well. When I said the name 'Harley', I couldn't help but notice Soladad tense up, like a spider or snake had just made its way into the room. Then again, I could have sworn I saw Drew react the same way when I said 'Harley; back at the well.

"So that's what happened," Solidad began. "I'm surprised you defended yourself like that. Women here don't have the proper training to perform such combat."

"Well I've, had a lot of time on my hands."

"Clearly," Drew said after he scoffed.

I replied with an intent and menacing glare. "And what's that supposed to mean?!"

Again Drew annoying flipped his hair. "Nothing, nothing."

Soladad couldn't help but smile a little. She recalled in her young teen memories of her childhood. "Here we go again."

In the end I stayed at their house over night, not really being givin the choice to leave either. Soladad made me take Drew's bed while he slept on the wooden chair. I tried to say no but obviously Soladad wouldn't take no for an answer. I was laying in bed with covers over me. I've never felt this comfortable in a bed before. However I knew the one back at the palace must've felt more luxurious. Thinking of the palace, I wondered about my friends when they would wake up. What would they think when they saw me missing. Letting out a tired sigh or yawn, whichever it was, I fell into a finally peaceful sleep; hopefully one that would provide me with just as enough rest.

--

The next morning I awoke to sunlight in my eyes. This is how I would wake up back in my time so many years of waking up early for before-school chores, I learned to beat the alarm clock to waking up. I sat up and looked around. The chair where Drew was sleeping in the previous night was empty.

"He's gone..." I said mysteriously. Throwing my legs over the small bed I saw the bandages around my feet. Could I walk? I tried to stand up, which I was successfully able to do. However I winced with each step I took as I applied pressure to each foot, my hands holding to the wall for support. Some time soon Soladad saw me along the fifth step, and stopped what she was doing, rushing to place my arm over her shoulders.

"May, you know you shouldn't be walking in your current condition," Soladad lectured.

"I was just gonna look for Drew," I said to her.

Soladad rolled her eyes smiling while she sat me down on another wooden chair in the kitchen. "He's outside tending to the Pokemon and the farm," Soladad replied later on, pointing out the window. I almost forgot I was wondering where the boy was. I turned my head to the window she was pointing at and I saw Drew out there. When you get past his attitude I guess you can say he's a nice guy. He even helped me to get to his house.

"So what Pokemon does Drew have?"

"Hm, Drew's Pokemon you ask? He has a Masquerain, a Flygon, an Absol, and a Butterfree. His Roselia was his first Pokemon and has always been by him ever since. Oh, and there's also Torchic."

"Torchic?"

"Yes, in fact that was your Pokemon May."

"It was?" I asked, looking back out the window.

"After you disappeared, Drew took in your Torchic." Soladad explained. I was dazzled. I actually had a Pokemon? And a Torchic at that. Torchic was my favorite Pokemon in the video game, similar to Ash's relationship with Pikachu. And this was just the beginning. I wondered, what else will I find out about my past? And something told me Drew was a major part of it.


	5. The Royal Knights

I was still in Drew's and Solidad's house. Solidad said Drew would drop me off at the palace this afternoon. Hopefully by then my feet would be better, even a little.

Suddenly, we heard a knock on the door. Drew answered it, revealing Ash in his tunic. For some odd reason, he was holding this remote with a blinking red light at the top. I was supposing it was Misty's. I guess she was able to invent something already with the material she bought.

"Ash?" I asked in surprise.

"Wow, I'm just surprised this tracker worked." Ash said somewhat amazed.

I sweatdropped, "Um, tracker?"

"Yeah, apparenly yesterday afternoon, Misty made this tracker thing and tested it on you." Ash explained.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't remember testing out anything."

"Oh it's because of the pellets she made with our food. This little thing in my hand tracks down the water nutrients from the pellet."

"Uh... thank you but next time please tell me before I eat any strange pellets."

"Don't tell me, tell Misty. So what are you doing here? I couldn't find you anywhere in the palace." Ash said.

"Some guy named Harley tried to kidnap me in my room and I ran away. I injured my feet but I managed to run into Drew. He took me over here at his place so I could recover a bit."

"Drew did that?" Ash asked with a look.

Drew had his usual look, thinking to get back at me latter. "Like I said to May, that was a one time thing."

Solidad re-entered the room. "So May, this is your friend from that other time period?" Solidad asked, joining in on the conversation I had explained to her everything overnight.

"Yeah, this is Ash. Ash this is Soladad, Drew's older step-sister."

"Nice to meet you." Ash greeted.

"Good to meet you too, kid," Solidad replied.

" So tell me Ash. Why do you have Misty's tracker? She never trusts you with her gadgets," I said with a laugh.

"Yes she does. There was that one time last year on Halloween."

"Ash it was a candy dispenser. And she wanted you to _test it_, which by the way did not go well. All of that candy got soaked in water. Now back to the original question: _Why do you have Misty's tracker?"_

"Uh... She didn't really give me permission. I found it in your room."

"So where is Misty and Dawn then?" I asked.

"That I don't know."

"What do you mean you _don't know_?"

"That's just it. I do not know. Misty, Dawn, and a lot of the girls from town have all been kidnapped."

"Harley..." I said with a grimace.

"Geez, that man just doesn't give up does he," Solided said, shaking her head.

"Do you know something Soladad?" I asked.

"Harley's the ruler of the neighboring kingdom, Kurai. He who kidnaps wealthy women for ransom, and sometimes other things you wouldn't really wanna know about."

"Eww." Ash said with a disgusted look on his face.

"Huh? What? I don't get it." I said, looking back and forth at everyone.

"Keep quiet," Drew said, pushing a hand over my head. I sent a glare to the boy.

"I'll be right back. May you stay here with Drew and Solidad okay?" Ash said.

"Ash wait where are you-" He shut the door and ran down the road back to town. I sighed as I slumped in my chair. Apparently he was just as stubborn as I was. "This is horrible. Misty and Dawn were kidnapped."

"Are they even wealthy?" Drew asked.

" No, but they live with me so they're bound to be something," I replied. Now I had anime tears falling from my eyes. "It's all my fault."

"Now now, don't say that. You should be happy you, the most important and wealthy person in the Kingdom, weren't kidnapped. If you haven't jumped down from that balcony you'd be who knows where," Solidad said. Was that supposed to cheer me up?

"She's got a point May," Drew said.

"I just hope everything will be okay." I said, looking down at my feet. By now it was just past sunset. My feet were somewhat healed enough so I could walk on my own. Drew kept telling me to sit but, I just kept on walking just to bug him. I was helping clean the house with Solidad and Torchic while Drew was outside at the fields. I opened the door so I could clean the porch. When I opened the door, I saw a scroll at my feet. I had no idea if these scrolls were this Kingdom's idea of mail so I decided to give it to Solidad.

"A scroll? Man, must be something bad." Solidad said with a worried look on her face.

"Why? What it is?"

"Do you see the seal on the scroll?"

I looked in closer, seeing the purple seal. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Remember it. It's the seal of the Royal Court. They take care of the town's laws and taxes." She unrolled the scroll and her eyes widened in fear as they scrolled down the calligraphy words written on it.

"Um, I'm guessing it's something about taxes?"

"Much worse... Since Harley kidnapped every wealthy woman in the Kingdom except you, our kingdom will fall. He even kidnapped our queen."

"Queen Somei? My grandma?"

"Yes, and there for the Royal Court is sending out their knights throughout the kingdom, gathering up men, peasant boys, and male orphan children to fight in the invasion of Kurai so we could rescue our kingdom's women." she explained, reading down the scroll.

"What no way! I don't want this to happen!"

"It's no use May. You're just a princess. Not even a legal Princess until you're thirteen. Even the Queen wouldn't stand a chance against the Royal Court. if she were still here."

Suddenly we heard a crash from outside. We immediately ran out there seeing a carriage of black. There were two Tauros with these knights. They were holding Drew's arms at his back while he was struggling to get out. Rosellia and all the other Pokemon were laying on the ground defeated by a bunch of these Honchkrows. The best guess here was that these knights served the Royal Court.

"Hey let me go!" Drew yelled, trying to break free of the Knights' grasp.

"Shut up. You're coming with us. Honchkrow use Hypnosis!" said one of the knights.

I watched terrified as the crow Pokemon stared into Drew's eyes. I saw him trying to resist, before too long, Drew's head fell forwaed and the knights threw his limp body into the metal carriage. Inside were many other boys in rags like Drew, as well as Ash. The knights got on the Tauros and began ridding off. I tried to run after them but Solidad grabbed my arm.

"Drew! Drew Ash come back!" I cried out, trying to release myself from Solidad's grasp.

"May it's no use! He's... He's gone..." Solidad said, crying. By now she was on her knees holding onto my wrist to keep from following them. It started raining after she said that. Then I stopped, and glared in the direction of the disappearing carriage. Clearly Harley kidnapped all those women for a reason. And now we were paying the price.

Now me and Solidad were in town. We decided to go to this restaurant Solidad recommended for a decent meal. The restaurant wasn't very fancy so only lower class women came, since it was all they could afford. Right now since the knights were running through town, trying to take all the boys and men at their disposal, the windows were covered by curtains and the door was locked, only letting in special customers. Since I was recognized as the Princess of Petalburg, I clearly got membership inside and got me and Solidad free drinks.

"This is horrible. It's only been a half hour and already the town looks dread," Soladad said, starring at her clasped hands.

"Are you sure there's nothing in our power we can do?" I asked. "I mean we can't just wait here."

"Unfortunately there isn't your highness," said the waitress giving us our drinks. "Us women, poor lower class women - we are helpless against the Royal Court and in battle."

"This is true Princess May," said another woman. "All we are good for is house work. It will be very lucky for our men to come back home alive, let alone the young boys."

The next to speak was a woman in tears. "Oh my poor son. The Royal Knights took him away, right out of the house. The children in battle will surely die. I'll never see him or my husband ever again."

Out of rage I banged my fist on the table. "There's gotta be something we can do! We can't just sit back and do nothing! Those guys will be going into battle for nothing! Harley's a really powerful Pokemon trainer and humans alone won't win! And I doubt the Royal Court will allow Drew, Ash, and all the guys to use Pokemon to battle!"

"As you can see, we are suffering plenty. Husbands and sons. Friends and Family. All being taken away for nothing. All that man Harley wants is power over the land for as long as I can remember. The Royal Court knows nothing of offence except for violence," explained the waitress.

Solidad nodded. "She's right May. What other choice would we have? We can't just surrender."

I narrowed my eyes. "That may be true Solidad, but the Royal Court shouldn't force men into battle, let alone children. It's outrageous! Plus the higher class and wealthy men of Petalburg get to stay safe in their homes, while peasants and orphans go without a care. We may not fight, but we will come up with a plan to save Petalburg's women and prevent any of the men and children from dying in battle."

"Hm, I like this Princess. She's got spunk, not letting anyone take control of her or her people," the waitress said, eyeing me. "So you got a plan missy?"

"No not really." I felt multiple stares around me suddenly.

Soladad started rubbing her forehead. "You really haven't changed, have you May."

"Well what i said is still true," I opposed. "And I'm worried about Drew and Ash the most. Ash has no clue how to fight. Drew... I don't really know. Would he survive out there, Solidad?"

"Be as it may that Drew's a strong guy, he wouldn't last very long in the battle field. Especially without his Pokemon," she said with concern, looking down on the table.

"Then that settles it," I said standing up. "I'm going out there to save Drew, Ash, and all the others forced into battle. Plus I'll defeat that Harley and rescue all the kidnapped women. I may not have a straightforward plan but I'm definitly good with luck."

This made the waitress smile. "You'd make a fine ruler one day your highness, putting your people first."

"But what will you do first, Princess May?" asked one of the women, "The Royal Knights' base is hidden very well at the borders of Petalburg. It has high stone walls and a moat. They will not let even you, the Princess, through its gates."

Sounds more like military school. "If I've learned anything from back in my time, it's that girls are not helpless. I can even fight on my own."

"Someone's getting full of herself?" Solidad remarked.

"Watch it," I grimaced at her. "Besides, I spent most of my life cooking and cleaning everyday. Those gruesome chores gave me a lot of exercise and strength for fighting."

"So that where you've been all these years, in the future," said the waitress in amazement.

"Yeah, she was frozen in a block of ice and was unfrozen almost 90 years later. Now she's back." Solidad explained for me, holding a flat face. "I still find that very hard to believe."

"Well you don't need to belieeve it. All I need is some info on where that hidden base is and I can take care of the rest." I said, trying to think up ideas. Just then we heard banging on the door. All the women startled as they starred at the shaking door in horror.

"Go away knights! We are only peasant women! Now leave us be!" shouted the aggresive waitress.

"No I'm not a Royal Knight! Please! Let me in! Hurry!" It was the voice of a little boy. The waitress quickly changed her expression and unlocked the door, letting the little boy run in. Then she hurriedly shut the door, locking it again. I took a good look at the strange new boy. He had dark blue hair and glasses., and wore raggy clothing so I supposed he was a 'peasant'. On his shoulder was a Ralts who too was trying to catch her breath with the boy.

"Max, oh my poor lad. If had known it was you I would have let you inside in a flash! Come come sit. I'll get you a drink." As the busy waitress went into the restaurant's kitchen to get more drinks while I looked at the poor young boy.

"Max? Wow, I'm surprised the Royal Knights haven't taken you yet," Solidad said.

"Yeah, I think I'm the last peasant boy left in Petalburg. I figured since mostly only women came here, I thought I could hide here for a while," the boy explained. Was it 'Max' Solidad called him?

"Well of course you can wait here, Maxie." assured one of the women.

"So who is this?" I asked curiously.

"This is Max. He's an orphan here at Petalburg. He helps Drew out in the fields for money sometimes. He's a strong worker, he and his Ralts," Solidad explained.

I smiled down at him. "Good to meet you Max."

"Wow, you're the Princess of Petalburg!"

I didn't even tell him my name. "How'd you know that? It took everyone forever to figure out who I was when I arrived in Petalburg."

"Max may be a peasant, but he has a great education. His parents were of upper class and taught him very well at his young age until they passed away," Solidad added.

"He knows just about everything about Petalburg," added of one the women.

"Well then it's an honor to meet you Max."

"It's an honor to meet you, too," he replied, shaking my hand.

Solidad stared at the young boy, "_It's an honor to meet you_? Wow Max since when did you become so mature?"

"You see Princess May, Max doesn't really look up to the nobles of Petalburg, let alone the Royal Maple Family," explained another one of the women.

"Yeah, what made you change your mind about May here?" Soladad asked.

"Well I could overhear that conversation you were having here a mile away," Max admitted.

"I'm that loud?" I said with a sweatdrop.

"Max has really good hearing since he has poor sight. Since he's almost blind, his Ralts guides him," said another one of the women.

"Anyway May, you're different from those high class jerks. I hope you'll become our next ruler," said Max.

"Now Max, that's no way to address the Princess of Petalburg," exclaimed one of the women, "You should address her as such-"

"No really, it's okay. He's... a good friend of mine now. He can call me whatever," I told them with assurance.

"Wow thanks," Max said with a grin on his face.

"It's a huge honor to call her just May. Few people have that privilege," Solidad waitress walked back into the room, giving Max a free drink of water.

"Say Maxie, you wouldn't happen to know about the base of the Royal Knights would you?" she asked.

"I think I do. It's up west a few miles."

"Well May, you could use little Maxie here as a guid to that hide out if you are still willing to rescue everyone," suggested the waitress.

"Ooh! I wanna come!" Max shouted, really excited.

"But how are you guys gonna even rescue all the hundreds of civilians, let alone leave the town? There's no doubt the Royal Knights will find Max if he leaves this restaurant," Solidad asked, sounding a little unsure.

"First off, Max isn't coming," I announced with crossed arms.

"What? Why?" yhe little boy shouted.

"You're still a child Max. As foolish as people make me out to be, I know limits. But, I do know one way you may be helpful in rescuing everyone." Solidad, Max, and all the women in the bar starred at me weirdly. I explained my plan to them as they listened intently.

**-DREW'S POV-**

I was in this huge castle-like base thing, me and many other guys. We just got through an explanation from the Royal Knights. Tomorrow morning we'd start training. The week after we'd go into battle. Ash and I were in our cellar since we were peasants. Ash was only claimed a peasant since they had no records of him. But duh, he's from the future. Of course there'd be no record of him.

"This is just great, I'm going into battle and I don't even know how to fight," Ash muttered, throwing a rock at the wall.

"No kid does. Especially thirteen-year-olds like us," I said, sitting against the wall.

"Well, we're going into battle to save Dawn, Misty, and all the other women of Petalburg. So I guess it won't all go to waste," Ash said, trying to find a bright side.

"If we don't die," I said nonchalantly, freezing Ash in a little bit of terror. I found this kind of amusing. "We won't stand a chance. You tried to lift that sword and you almost flinged it at me. And I wasn't even beside you when that happened."

"Heh, sorry about that," Ash apoligized with a sweatdrop and a sheepish smile.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "And knowing how stubborn May is, she's bound to try something to prevent us from getting involved with the war."

Ash pondered for a second, looking upwards. "Hm, that does sound like May. And you're right Drew, she is stubborn. But she never gives up."

"And that's a good thing?" I asked skeptically. "Never giving up could lead to your downfall sometimes."

"Eh, not where we come from. If you give up, you loose. And you should know this now, May hates loosing. And I bet she would survive out here longer than any boy or man could."

"Seriously?" I asked surprisingly.

"Yeah, I remember this one time when we had this field trip at school," Ash started, remenicing his old memories. "We all went camping and me, May, Misty, and Dawn got separated from our classmates. With with me panicking about wild animals, Dawn panicking about her clothes, and Misty panicking about no technology, May was our last hope for survival over night. Man, we must've annoyed her to death then. But she made a fire with these rock Misty found. And she made new jewelry for Dawn with these stones she found in a lake. Then with the wild animals all around, she kicked major butt. She warded off a bear with fire, led a wolf away with chips, and she caught like four fish just by throwing a sharp branch across a river."

What kind of class goes camping in woods like that? "I doubt that all happened," I denied.

"Either way, May is much more than she seems. Especially for a girl."

"All we can hope for is that she doesn't go over the top. By what I remember from our childhood, she can tend to over-do it sometimes. I always had to follow her around to make sure she didn't hurt herself."

"Because you were worried about her right?" Ash teased, poking my shoulder.

"Actually Solidad forced me to," I corrected Ash. "It was troublesome. But..."

"But?..." Ash said, getting interested in what I was gonna say.

"But... she can be serious when she's really into it."

"Well believe me, she will definitely be 'into it' in this situation," Ash smiled looking upwards. "Still, I hope Misty and Dawn will be okay."

"Let's hope so Ash, let's hope so. For everyone."


	6. My Plan of Rescue

--MAY'S POV--

"So that's your plan?" Max asked.

"If what you said was true, then I'm right no doubt." I assured.

"You have much courage to confront the Royal Court. I hope your mystery plan works out your majesty." said one of the women.

"I may have been a slave to my rich step-mom, but if anything I learned from her, is that every contract has a loophole."

"How'd you learn that from your step-mom?" Max asked, starring at me weirdly.

" ... I'm her unofficial lawyer but that doesn't matter right now." I said trying to get out of that subject.

"I'll head back to the farm. May meet me there after the meeting. And you better bring Max with you when you come back. Whatever your plan is. I hope it works." Soladad said.

"I hope so too. You sure you wanna do this Max?"

"You can't do this alone. Especially if ya wanna save your boyfriend-"

"He's not my boyfriend Max. Geez, now I know why Soladad said Drew think's your annoying."

"At least I help him with field work."

"We wish you the best of luck Princess May." said the waitress.

We three nodded and walked out of the restaurant. I placed my hood over my head. Soladad gave Max her cloak so he could keep hidden, even though it was still raining. We made it to this building, similar to the palace, but smaller. I saw two knights at the front guarding the entrance. I walked up after gulping, Max following behind me. The knights let me through after I explained I needed to speak with the Royal Court. Now I was in this room, lit only by candles. Inside were a bunch of men in these black robes. I could feel Max tense up.

"So you are May Maple of the Royal family." said one of the men.

"Yes sir," I replied, gulping.

"What is it you needed to talk about? And who is this with you?" Another man said, looking at Max.

"This is Max, my... friend."

"That boy, he's the last orphan on our list! You shouldn't even be in Petalburg!" Another man said, standing up and pointing at the frightened little boy. He hid behind me and clutched onto my cloak.

"M-May!" Max yelled.

"This is why I came here sir. I wish to speak about why all the lower class men and boys are being taken away for war."

"I see... As I am sure you already know off, all the noble women of Petalburg have been kidnapped by Harley, the ruler of Kurai. And we must rescue them at all costs."

"I assume you wish to take back all of the men who were forced into battle? If you are then I am afraid that is not possible."

"And why is that?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. I didn't notice, but they were all, including Max, astonished at how calm I was addressing them.

"For one they are already transported to the borders of Petalburg. And if nothing is done, our kingdom shall suffer a great loss."

"I agree with you fully sir, but that is not why I am here." I told them.

"Oh really, then what is it?"

"...I ask to join the war, alongside the boys and men at the borders of Petalburg."

In a second, all of the men here in the Royal Court were laughing.

"You? A 12-year-old princess, wishes to fight in war?" asked one of them men laughing, "Do you even know who you are dealing with?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do. And I'm willing to accept all responsibilities." I replied in a calm manner. All the laughing died down when they found out I was serious.

"Why, I'm afraid it's impossible. Don't you know it's against the law for noble women to fight in war. Especially in your case seeing that you are royalty."

Max came from behind me and adjusted his glasses, speaking for me and playing his part in all this, "If I may say, the law clearly states, _"It is against the law for women of upper class to fight in war. It is also against the law for royalty of any age to fight in war"._May is not legally a woman nor is she legally royalty, that is, until she turns 13. Actually, we're still not sure if she will even accept the throne. So, even though she is of the higher class, she is still a child, and therefore can still decide what she wants to do. Not to mention she can, as she says, _"kicks but."_"

"_"Kicks but"_you say? Ha, do you know any swordsmanship in the very least?"

"No, but I do know karate."

"Karate?" the men asked.

"Karate?" Max asked.

"Yes Karate, it's uh, a type of fighting style I learned."

"Though, it will not be allowed for a female to be allowed into the base of the Royal Knights." added one of the men.

"You command the Royal Knights. You made up that rule." Max employed.

"Still, the base was created specifically for men only, and for training, capable for men only-"

"I say she has a point." said one of them men who looked deep in thought. He was the head of the Royal Court.

"She does?" the men asked.

"She does?" Max asked.

"She does?" I asked.

"She does indeed. Princess May, allow me to explain my proposition," explained the man, clearing his throat, "You shall pose as a boy. If you can make it past three days, without anyone finding out who you really are, you shall fight in the invasion of Kurai."

"She will?" The men asked with the jaws hanging.

"She will?" Max asked with the same expression as the men.

"She will?" I asked with my hands clasped together and my eyes with a brightened look to them.

"Yes _"she will",_" The man said chuckling, "You have spirit and determination. If you care for your people this much, then you must have a reason for willing to go into battle."

"Oh believe me, she does." Max assured with crossed arms.

"May I ask your name?" I asked.

"My name is Dacian."

"Well thank you." I said bowing.

"You are welcome Princess May." Dacian replied, bowing his head in the same manner.

"Well Princess May, are you up for the job?" one of them men asked.

"... Yes, I am. But on one condition."

"That is?"

"Max will not be allowed to go with me." I stated, crystal clear.

"What?" The men asked.

"What?" Dacian asked.

"WHAT?!" Max yelled.

"Hey I said it before. You're not coming. It's too dangerous." I explained, looking at Max.

"Oh man!" Max said crossing his arms yet again.

"Also, I wish to bring some Pokemon of mine. Yes?"

"Yes??" asked the men.

"Yes." answered Dacian.

"YES!" Max shouted, punching his fist in the air.

"Thank you, I mean, me and my friends, Drew and Ash, we all battle better with Pokemon rather than swords. I'll keep them a secret during my three days at the base."

"But I really wanna go and see Drew and meet Ash!-" Max started. He _really_ wanted to go.

I covered my mouth with an anime vein on my head. "I can _really_see why Drew calls you annoying. Anyway thank you everyone. I'll do my best." We both ran out the building and to the farm. I opened the door to see Soladad there cleaning, as usual.

"May, Max, welcome back. Any news?" Soladad greeted.

"Good news!"

"Alright! You did it!" Soladad cheered, grabbing my hands.

"Yeah!" I yelled back.

"What did you do?!" Soladasd asked, still in her excited voice.

"I'm going to war!" I replied with the same excited personality.

"Really that's great!- Hold on," Soladad started, then her excitement died down. " You're going to- HOW'S THAT GOOD?!"

"I'm a good fighter. And I can defend myself very easily. All I need to do is pose as a boy for three days and I can fight."

"Still waiting for the good news," she said, crossing her arms at me.

I rolled my eyes smiling, "If you want _"good news",_ Max isn't going to the invasion."

Soladad sighed in relief, "At least he'll be safe. All you need to do is make sure Drew and all your friends come home safe and alive."

"That's pretty much it." Max ended.

"How are you gonna pose as a boy?" Soladad asked

I smirked, "Back in the future, my bandana could do wonders."

Soladad and Max looked at each other in confusement. "Bandanna?"

I remembered they had no idea what a bandanna was. " It's back at my castle. But we'll worry about clothes later. Right now I'll need some help from the Pokemon."

"The Pokemon?" asked Soladad. We went outside. It was still raining by we had something to cover our heads. We arrived in the barn, where the Pokemon slept. Soladad opened the door and inside we saw all the Pokemon the farm raised, as well as Drew's Pokemon in one group. When they saw us they ran up to us. Including Max's Ralts and my Torchic.

"Wow, it's been a while guys," said Max.

"Max now's not the time for a Pokemon reunion," Soladad told him.

"Ok, you guys know that Drew and my friend Ash were taken away by the Royal Knights right?" I asked. They all nodded in response. "Well then, we just might have a chance to rescue them. As well as rescuing all of Petalburg's women. But to do that I'll need you guys to come with me to their hidden army base."

All of them looked at eachother worryingly.

"They're a little nervous, since the Royal Knight's hidden base is well... Let's just say the base isn't the safest place for Pokemon," explained Max.

"Please guys, Drew needs us! And so do my other friends, and the town's people," I begged. My Torchic stepped up, determined. Then Drew's Roselia did as well. "So it's you two huh? I can manage."

"Well May, you got your team. Now what?" asked Soladad.

"Now, comes my disguise."

Me, Max, Ralts, Torchic, and Roselia were in my room at the palace. It was empty since Ash, Misty, Dawn, and all the Nurse Joys were gone. I was looking around for my bandanna.

"Ah, found it." I held up my short brown hair and tied it under my bandanna. I turned around, facing the others. "All I need to do is get out of this dress, and I'll be ready for battle.

"Talk about being the master of disguise." Max said.

"Here May, these are some of Drew's clothes," Soladad said, handing me some clothing, "I know they're not the best, but they'll do."

"_Those_ are Drew's clothes?"Max asked, "They look brand new. Actually, I've never seen him wear them before.

"Soladad that's because he never had worn them before Max," explained Soladad, "It's a long story about how he got this, but that's a story fr another day. Take it May, you'll need it."

I nodded, taking the clothes. I changed in the bathroom and came out wearing it. Max's eyes widened.

"Woah, now you really look like a boy May. You'll see Drew in no time!" complimented Max. I nodded, smiling. I returned Roselia and Torchic into their pokeballs. It was weird, using real pokeballs. I hid my necklace under my shirt as I ran out the castle and the town. Now we were at the town gates.

"Just head up that way and you'll be there in no time," said Max.

"And remember, your name is Miles instead of May, for now anyways." Soladad reminded.

I saluted in responce, "I'll do my best!"

"You better come back home alive with my little bro, as well as with all the town's people ok May?"

"Will do Soladad."

I turned around and started running to where Max pointed, awaiting the training base for the battle.

After a couple hours, it was sunset. I've been running for miles across the fields, and loosing my breath at that. Luckily, I could see something on the horizon. I got my strength back and began running towards the building. When I arrived there, I saw a bunch of Royal Knights ridding Tauros. Somehow, they caught me. I had no idea weather that was a good thing or a bad thing. Either way, the gaged me and carried me into the base and to the prison hold. There I saw a bunch of boys, children. They all looked worn out. I guess they just finished "training" since they all had buts and bruises. The knight holding me opened a cellar and threw me in. I landed roughly on the ground as I rubbed my head.

"Ow, soft landing."

"Hey you ok?" I looked up and saw Ash. Ash! And behind him Drew! I guess getting caught was a good thing.

"Um, I-I'm ok," I replied, "Just a little tired."

Ash smiled and helped me up. Drew stood up and walked over to us.

"So who are you anyway?" Drew asked.

I had to remember that for the next three days, my name would be Miles. "M-My name's Miles of Petalburg."

Drew starred at me for a second, "Miles, hm, I've never seen you around Petalburg before."

"I-I, uh," I stuttered, "My family and I were moving to Petalburg. But, uh, my parents and I got separated on the way there and I was caught by the Royal Knights." I wasn't used to lying like this, but I had to if I wanted to keep my cover.

"I'm Ash, and this is my friend Drew. You better sleep well. The training around here's hard."

"It is?" I asked, pretending not to know anything. They explained to be the harsh training of a knight as we sat in the corner of the cell. I nodded each time one of them finished speaking.

"So there's nothing you can do?" I asked again.

"No," Ash replied, "There isn't."

"Then again there's always May," Drew added in.

I was startled he said my name, "May? Who's she?"

"She's the Princess of Petalburg," Ash explained, "But she's far from acting like Royalty.

I grew an anime vein on the back of my head. If i had whacked Ash in the back of his head like I always would when he said something stupid, I'd blow my cover. "Is that so."

"Yeah," Drew said with her arms crossed behind his head, "She's more of a worker if you asked me. But she wouldn't make that bad of a ruler I guess."

"She would?"

Drew nodded, "She always thinks about her people just as much as our queen, which is very uncommon for royalty."

I smiled. Now I was sure Drew wasn't all bad. I just had to get past three days and I'm off to battle. The next three days weren't great though. I had to learn how to fight, as a knight. Plus I figured out why armor of metals came out of style. You could barely run in those. And those swords. They were as heavy as a long dinning table. For me at least. Some of the boys had no trouble lifting it, including Drew. Actually, I think the only people having trouble lifting a sword were me, Ash, and the younger boys. It was probably because Ash and I were from the future and we weren't used to lifting medieval weaponry.

_'Oh, this training better be worth it. I just hope Misty and Dawn are ok.'_


	7. The Hidden Base

--MISTY'S POV--

Me, Dawn, and all these other noble women and children were in this huge room at the top of some tower. And an evil one I'd presume. The land outside was dead, and the sky was always dark. Dawn and I stayed together for comfort.

"Oh this is hopeless," I said, "We're never getting out of here."

"Don't be so down Misty..." Dawn said in a somewhat calm and soothing voice. I cocked my eyebrow and turned around, seeing dawn sitting on the flow in her meditating form. I sweatdropped.

"Dawn how could you meditate in a time like this?"

"Meditating I am not. I am using my psychic powers to search for our answers by focusing my chakras..." she explain in that voice. She had her eyes closed too. This just made me sweatdrop more. Her _"psychic powers"_ never did work back home.

"Ok how about we just-"

"Shhh, I am sensing a preseance in the air afar..." she stated, still eyes closed. I sighed and sat down in front of her, trying to read her face.

"So what is it then?"

"It is Drew and Ash... They have been captured..."

I starred at her weirdly. This was strangely a different "prediction" than from what she usually says back home. "What do you mean captured?"

"The Royal Knights... shall send them to war with the male commoners... to save us..."

"War? Are you sure this prediciton of yours is right? You're never that specific-"

"And so will one girl..."

"A girl?" I asked. It was unusual for a girl to go into war during this time period

"Yes... and that one girl... is May..."

"May?" I asked, my fact astonished. But for some reason, it didn't surprise me that much. May would do anything to rescue her friends.

"Although... she is undercover... I also sense something else..."

"What is it?" I asked. I've never been this interested in Dawn's predicitons since they were always false. But this one seemed different from the others.

"A dangerous path she takes... if something is not done soon... there will be-"

"Cacturne use Pin Missile!" shouted Harley from outside. Cacturne's Pin Missile attack hit the tower, making it shift a little. I ran up to the window and looked down outside. There stood Harley and his Cacturne. "You laddies better not cause any trouble up there."

I growled at him, "Stupid Harley. If he wanted to keep us in this tower, he could at least give us some peace and quiet."

"AAAH!" whined Dawn. I turned around and saw her hitting her head. At least she was talking normally again. "I've lost the connection! Oh and I've never meditated so well before!"

"Ha, you could say that again."

"No seriously Misty. I mean, I felt like it was real, the prediction," Dawn explained, "Couldn't you tell? My other predictions are usually different and less specific. I think... I think Ash, May, and Drew really are going to battle."

"You're not joking are you," I assumed. She nodded sadly as she stood back up, dusting off her dress. "DO you at least rememeber what you were gonna say before Harley shot the tower?"

"Hm... I can't remember what it was. I about about to say it until that block head, argh! I just hope May gets us out of this place before my head explodes!"

I sweatdropped, "Too late for that."

--MAY'S POV--

It was now the third day. And I had gotten past all three without being foud out, which was a relief. We were going to invade Kurai tomorrow. I've gotten a little better, but I still had a big problem holding the sword for long periods of time.

I was sitting at the corner of the cellar away from Drew and Ash. I was holding my sword on the table and a hard hammer in my hand. I was trying my best to carve my sword. At least so I could fight better. The Royal Knights jst thought I was sharpening my sword. Little did they know I making something way new. And two swords at that. Each person was given a spare sword just in case. I was working on both swords. Eventually, Ash and Drew walked over to me since I was real quiet.

"Miles what are you doing?" Ash asked.

I turned around seeing my two friends, who were still fooled.

"You know you'll get busted if the Royal Knights catch you. Your swords are so small now, both of them," Drew said.

"Yes, but does size really matter?" I asked. yes both my swords were small, but they were lighter. And they were carved a bit so it wasn't all straight up forward, almost like a scythe. Next I got a chain from the cellar and hooked my weapons together at the bottom. I held one of them and twirled the other. "Works perfectly."

"Wow, creative," Ash complimented.

"Yeah," agreed Drew. I didn't know it, but Drew was starring at me with curiosity. "How'd you come up with that?"

"Um, I..." I tried to find the words, " Just came to me I guess? Hehe..."

"MEN!"

We all turned around and stood on a line, with priceless looks on our faces. That booming voice of the Royal Knights always shocked us when they appeared out of no where. I was kinda glad there were bars in between us. But then I got really nervous when his eyes landed on me with my new weapon in my hands.

_'I'm dead' _I thought.

_'She's dead'_ Ash and Drew thought.

"What have you done with your swords?!" he demanded.

"I made a weapon." I replied. Ash and Drew sweatdrpped at how naive I was acting.

"Ha, and you presume that this _"weapon"_ will be of use to you in battle tomorrow?" the knight asked with a smirk on his face.

"As a matter of fact I do," I replied with confidence.

"Very well then Miles If you feel so victorious, how about we test out that little _"weapon"_ of yours on the battle field!!"

"What?" I asked.

"And against the toughest Royal Knight."

"What?" Ash and Drew asked? They were probably wondering what trouble I've gotten myself into. But me, on the other hand, was quite confident. They had no idea what I could do.

Now we were all in the battle field in the main room. Everyone was seated around. I had me, my weapon, and the clothes on my back. In front of me, a really big guy in armor, holding a big sword, and a shield. I could hear many of the boys saying how I was gonna die. If you didn't know the whole story, you'd think that. And no one dared cheered for me, otherwise who knew what would happen to them.

"BEGIN!" shouted one of the knights. The man charged at me with his sword pointing at me, ready to thirst it. I kept my serious face and jumped up into the air, jumping way over him. I landed behind, leaving everyopne with surprised faces, even the knights. Drew and Ash especially.

"N-No way," Drew said.

"He's incredible," Ash added, "Did you see how high he jumped? I didn't know you people had that much skill."

"We don't," Drew told him.

Well I don't like going into details, so I'll just say I beat the knight in a very cool, and fascinating way. And karate. But not until there's at least one bad thing. Right before the end, his sword scraped my arm above my elbow, but I was way into the battle to notice. I stood on top of the knight in victory. Everyone was clapping, even the knights. Everyone was brought back to the cellar to get some sleep. We were going into battle tomorrow.

Once the door closed, I slid down onto the ground exhausted. " Man that was awsome!"

"What do you mean awsome. You almost got killed out there!" yelled Ash.

"So? I've delt with much worse before," I said, leaning back with my arms crossed behind my head. _'Or did I?'_

"In case you haven't noticed," Drew started, "your arm's bleeding.

"Huh?" I looked at my arm, seeing blood gushing out from a large cut. "Oh, I didn't notice that."

"Come on, you better take off your jacket so we can clean that up," Ash told me.

But then I remembered if I took off my top, well, you know girls wouldn't wanna do that. Especially when they're posing as a boy. "Um, it's fine! I'm ok! Really!"

"Just do it before you really get hurt," Drew said, "Otherwise you'll be too injured to battle tomorrow. And knowing those iron head knights, they won't care if you're hurt."

"It's ok, I don't really notice big injuries anyway." I assured then. Although, I received a strange look from Drew.

"Ok come on, just get it bandaged at least," Ash said. Then he looked at Drew, "Drew you got take a loot at her cut while I go look around something we can use as a bandage."

"Wha-" Drew started, but didn't finished because Ash hit him in his back, making Drew fall onto me. And even worse, his head was on my chest. You can only imagine, how nervous I was. How nervous he was! She lifted himself off me as we both grew red. "Y-You're..."

I dared not say a word. He probably knew now.

"What is it Drew?" Ash asked. Oh Ash, I will kill him after this little adventure is over.

"Y-You're a-!"

I covered his mouth, "Shut up and don't say a word."

"What, I don't get it!" yelled Ash. The both of us glared up at him. Drew explained to him quietly that I was a girl while I tried to stop the bleeding.

"Seriously? He's a... girl?" Ash asked, saying that last part in a whisper.

"For the last time yes," Drew said, sounding annoyed. I winced and made a small hiss, which Drew and Ash heard. They went over to me. Apparently the wound was starting to get to me, now.

"Ow..."

"You ok?" Drew asked?

" Yeah," I told them with a scrunched face, "Just hurts a little. It's still bleeding.

Drew ripped off a small part of his clothing and tied it around my arm as a temporary bandage. "Here, keep it there until the bleeding stops. We'll put water on it later when the knights give us some."

"Thanks"

"So..." Ash started, sounding a little nervous since I was a girl. It was weird since they didn't know I was May yet. "If you're a..._ girl_, is your name really Miles?"

"Hehe, not really-"

"Wait! T-That bandanna! Ma-"

I covered his mouth before he could say my name. Ash shut up and don't say my real name!" I yelled at him in a hushed whisper.

"You idiot, you didn't know it was her when we found out she was a girl?" Drew asked, looking at Ash.

"Wait so oyu already knew who I was?"

"Only when I fell on you. Who else would you be?" he explained, "Plus you're wearing my clothes."

I looked at myself, remembering what Soladad told me before I left. "Oh yeah."

"No to mention your necklace," he added.

"Hm, now that I think about it, " Ash started, "that fighting style you used back earlier. It was karate. And no one around here except you knows how to do that."

"Now you get it." I said.

"But you're not going into battle tomorrow." Drew said.

"What?" I asked in shock.

" It's as I said, you're not going into battle. It's too dangerous."

"Now I know how Max feels. Listen Drew, I didn't come all the way here and pretend to be a boy for nothing."

"Then why did you come?" Drew asked.

"Well, Soladad, Max, everyone in the town, were worried about all the men and boys going into battle. By what I heard, you guys were sure fire goners."

"So how does it help you come along. You might die too." Ash mentioned.

"Maybe, but I'm determined. And I wasn't just gonna stand back and let my friends die." I told them, looking down. They starred at me then each other. "Please, I need to help my people. And trust me, I can fight. I beat that Royal Knight like stepping on grass. Defeating an army will just be saving time."

Drew sighed, "You're not taking no for an answer are you."

I nodded no, "I'll save Petalburg's people if it's the last thing I do."

"Well then, I guess there's no stopping you," Ash said. "You're coming."

"Alright!" I cheered.

"Yeah, take her side," Drew said, glaring at Ash.


	8. The Invasion of Kurai

Now came the next day, the day we invade Kurai and save Misty, Dawn, and all the other girls and women from Harley. We were outside in the sunlight, something I had longed to see while I was inside that horrid base. I was dressed in a tunic with armor strapped to my shoulders, my arms, my legs, and my torso. None of us had shields. Just our weapons, our swords. In my case, whatever I just made yesterday.

While the Royal Knights rode on Arcanines, we walked. Luckily Kurai wasn't so far away. As we got closer, the skies darkened and the grass on the grounds started disappearing. We arrived there, seeing a bunch of these dark knights. Actually, it was just armor being held together. Except they could walk... fight... kill- Ok that wasn't helping. But it made me wonder how they could move with no one inside the armor. I guess the Medieval Ages did have its weird points.

"Alright men!" shouted one of the Royal Knights, "CHARGE-"

Before he could finish, he started being lifted into the air, along with all the other Royal Knights. They flew into this huge cage like thing, metal bars all around. Everyone was startled.

"What's going on?" Ash asked.

"I... I don't know," I replied, in the same state of shock.

"Guys look!," Drew yelled, bringing us out of our current state. We looked up at Harley's castle and we saw him, along with his Cacturne.

"Harley!" I shouted, glaring at him. Of course when he spotted me he had a somewhat surprised face.

"Ah, so you made a disguise Princess May. Clever."

A commotion started about the men and boys everywhere. Drew and Ash stood beside me, just as worried as I was.

"Yeah so what?!" I yelled back at him, "I'm fighting for my kingdom!"

"Ha, if so then you shall die with them!" Harley shouted. He waved his arm and all of those Dark Knights stood straight up, making us all gasp and step back. They all brought up their swords, pointing at us.

"W-We can't fight alone!" said one of the men.

"Yeah! Especially without the Royal Knights! We're weak!" said another little boy.

"They've got a point May," Drew explained, "We're helpless against Harley's knights."

I glared at my feet and then looked up. I then started walking onto a huge rock, climbing to the top of it.

"May what are you doing?" Ash and Drew asked simultaneously.

"Everyone! Listen!" All attention went to me. Each man and boy had the look of worry and death in their eyes. As if they knew this was going to be the end. "I know the odds seem dim! Us against those knights of Harley's! The only way we'd loose is if we give up!" All of them starred at me. "But I came here, to rescue my friends, my people!... Sure I don't know if I'll be staying in Petalburg, if I'll accept the throne! But I do know this, I will protect my people if it's the last thing I do! Because it's my duty as a princess!... And as a friend."I said the last part, looking at Ash and Drew.

By now the small boys had small tears in their eyes, tears of hope. They had tiny smiles of hope as well. The men had confident faces, faces they had not shown to the Royal Knights during their previous training.

"Hm, I agree with her," Drew said. Everyone's attention went to him. "She's the Princess of Petalburg. And look at her, she's risking her very life to fight in battle. She even went to deceive all of us just to get here. And now look at us, cowering in fear. What kind of people are we to not serve our Princess?" I was amazed that Drew was speaking for me, and well at that. "And she's Royalty. It's not common for royalty to be this courageous about her people... Now, are we gonna stand by and let that Harley take down Petalbrug? Or are we gonna fight, with May leading?"

By now the entire crowd started cheering. A smiled appeared on my face as I used my sleeve to wipe off small tears starting to form in my eyes. _'Thank you Drew.'_

"Well then," Ash started, "Now that we've got our spirits, who's ready to save the women of Petalburg?!"Everyone screamed, pointing their swords to the air.

"CHARGE!" I yelled. All of the men and boys headed towards the dark knights. I fought my way through, using my fighting skills rather than my weapon. In fact, my weapon was hung around my belt. I used my fists better anyway. And I was doing fairly well on my own. But those knights weren't my main goal here. They'd just come back to life anyway. I needed to get inside that castle, and get to the women and girls. If only I knew a way, or at least a door or window.

--MISTY'S POV--

I was pacing around the tower, trying to think up something. Dawn was trying to meditate again. Suddenly we heard something, like a commotion. And apparently all of the women and children heard it. Dawn was snapped out of her meditative state and stood up next to me.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I don't know", I replied. I think it came from outside.

We walked over to the one window in the tower. When we saw what was outside, our eyes widened. There stood an army of men and young boys. The Royal Knights were in this cage thing behind Harley. And on top of a large boulder was May, trying to talk some sense into this "army" which was rather scared and gloomy. After May's and Drew's little speech, it seemed they all had their spirits back.

"Wow, I guess your prediction was right Dawn," I said astounded.

"Even I'm surprised," she said, "My prediction was right. May, Ash, Drew, and everyone else is going into war."

The both of us starred worryingly until we both got the idea to our heads, "THEY'RE GOING TO WAR!" we both yelled simultaneously. Our panicking obviously caused a commotion in the room with all the women and little girls.

"What are we going to do?! They're all gonners!" Dawn yelled.

"Well obviously we can't let them do this by themselves. And what kinda girls are we to let all the boys do the work? Come on Dawn, we're helping them!"

"But what can we do Misty?" Dawn asked looking down, "Were just the damsel's in distress. We're supposed to be the rescued, not the rescuers."

"Although it would make sense you help your friends," said a voice. The women and girls parted making a path, with Queen Somei walking down it.

"Q-Queen Somei!" Dawn and I said.

"Where have you been all this time?!" Dawn yelled.

"Sorry laddies. I fell asleep. Getting kidnapped can take a lot out of an old lady like me," Queen Somei explained. Dawn and I made an anime fall since that's what's she's been doing all this time, resting and sleeping.

"What should we do to help the others?" I asked her.

"First of all Misty Waterflower, you obviously have a girl of inventing. You're quite smart. I'm sure that with the raw material here, you can come up with something to, as you say, _"Bust us out of here"._"

I brightly smiled and saluted, "Yes mam!"

"And you Dawn Santezz," Queen Somei resumed, " I saw what you did with that meditation. You're one of the people who can align their chakras easily. You have much potential. I'm sure that if you can meditate in an awake state, you can perform magic."

"Me? Magic? Sweet! I'm on it!" Dawn said, saluting just as I did.

Queen Somei smiled at us, as she turned around, facing the rest of the women. "Alright everyone, do as these two young girls say. It's time we return to Petalburg."

"Yes your majesty!" they all replied, bowing their heads.

"Misty look! It's May!" Dawn shouted, pointing out the window. I ran over and looked out.

--MAY'S POV--

"HEY MAY!" Yelled a girl's voice, and a familiar one. I looked up, seeing Dawn and Misty up in a window, a VERY far window. It was at the top of this tall, wide tower. That's where I supposed all of them were being held.

"Misty! Dawn!" I yelled out, "Don't worry! We'll bust you guys outta there in no time!... Ok maby it'll take a little more time!"

They both sweatdropped. "May! There's no door!" Misty shouted.

"What? What do you mean "no door"?!" Ash asked, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Harley uses his Pokemon to slide through the walls!" Dawn explained, "There's no way in!"

"Well there's gotta be a way somehow!" I yelled back, knocking out yet another dark knight.

"Leave that to us!" Misty replied, "You need to take out all of the dark knights!"

"We can't!" Drew shouted, swinging his sword up as a shield from an attack, "These guys regenerate their energy a second they're brought down!"

Misty and Dawn looked at each other, looking for a plan. With their serious faces, they both nodded. Misty ran off into the room whiel Dawn took a huge breath, sticking her arms out of the window, then closing her eyes.

"Dawn now's not the time for meditating!" I yelled, jumping into the air and dodging an attack. Suddenly, I saw the dark purple aura holding the knights together start disappearing. It all formed into a small ball that was forming in front of Dawn's hands. In a second, the ball vanished.

"Ok May!" Dawn yelled out, "Just take down the dark knights and they should stay down for good!"

"Gott'cha!" I replied. Then I began taking out all of the knights in speed record. It was hard to believe no one got hurt or injured.

"May where's Harley?!" drew yelled out to me. I looked around frantically, trying to find the man who caused all this.

"I don't know!" I yelled out.

"Cacturne use Needle Arm!" Harley yelled out from no where. I turned around seeing a Cacturne flying towards me with a glowing arm, aiming for me. My eyes widened. I knew I couldn't dodge this attack. In turned and it didn't hit me scare in the chest, but it scraped my arm severely, where my old cut used to be, but this wound was bigger. I winced as I grabbed the would with my hand, falling to my knees.

"May!" Drew and Ash shouted. I fell down as Ash and Drew picked me up, turning me over. I could see a huge crowd forming around me, all of the men and boys. The pain was too much to bear and tears started falling out of my eyes and I kept my cries in. Drew could see this and he had a look of pity on his face. Here I was, Petalburg's Princess, the most wealthy girl in the Kingdom and I was the one, the only one, suffering in this battle.

"May! May calm down!" Ash said, trying to keep me calm.

"I-I can't. I-It hurts!" I yelled out, finally letting the pain go through me. The tears continued going down my face. Just then we heard a huge explosion. We looked and the men and boys parted so I could see. There at the castle where a wall once stood was all the women and little girls. In front of them all was Dawn and Misty, who was holding this giant future like water gun thing. Except, the rubble that was once a castle wall were ice and in pieces.

"Well I guess you can invent something rather quickly when you put your mind to it, "Misty said with a wink.

"Misty! Dawn! You're ok!" Ash said. When they all saw me, they came around the crowd as well, Misty and Dawn pushing through.

"What happened to her? Is she ok?" Dawn said with a serious look on her face. I was taking fast, deep breaths.

"Harley's Cacturne attacks May with Needle Arm. It hit her shoulder and it's a really severe injury."

Dawn took my hand off my wound and looked at it. Dawn was always the medical expert in our group, the girly girl she was she was serious sometimes. Soon I felt myself loosing to the pain. My eyes started to close and I could hear my friends screaming my name. "May!"

When I woke up, I felt MUCH better than what I felt previously. After my vision returned, i could see I was in my room. My room in the palace. I was in my fancy canopy bed and in my night gown under the covers. I lifted my arm and saw it bandages, along with some more bandages all over me on my small cuts.

_'W-What... where am I?'_

"Princess May! You're awake!" shouted a Nurse Joy. My door opened and I saw Nurse Joy walk in with a Tracy of food. She sat it on my side table and sat on my bed.

"Oh Princess May, we thought you would never wake up."

"We?" I asked weakly. The door opened again and in walked Misty, Dawn, Max, and Soladad. As well as Ash and Drew who had small bandages on their cuts.

"Guys?"

"May we were so worried after you blacked out!" shouted Misty, giving me a big hug. I blinked in confusement.

"I blacked out?"

"Yeah," replied Ash, "You were out for a week."

"Wow, a week?" I asked with wide eyes, "I've never been out that long before."

"Don't tell us, tell Harley. He's the one that gave you that wound on your shoulder." Drew said, pointing at my arm. Then it all came back to me.

"Hey wait!" I started, "Where's harley? Where's all the town's people-

"May calm down," Soladad said covering my mouth, "All the town's people are back here in Petalburg safe and sound. If you haven't noticed, Misty, Dawn, and Nurse Joy's here."

I looked at the three girls as they waved at me. I didn't think about that.

"So what happened?"

"Well you took care of all the dark knights," Drew said, "And that's when you were attacked and blacked out. Misty made this weapon-shooting thing and busted herself and all the other women out. Dawn used her magic to free the Royal Knights from that cage. Then Torchic and Roselia came out of your pokeballs."

"They did?"

"Yeah," he replied, "Torchic made a campfire and provided heat. My Roselia tried to heal all our wounds as best she could using Recover."

"If it wasn't for Roselia, you probably wouldn't have made it here," Max added.

smiled, nodding, "Thank you."

"No thank you!" Nurse Joy said, "You gave our town's people hope, that they could survive the battle and rescue us. And look what happened. No one got majorly injured, well, except you." I smiled, hiding my tiny laugh, "But each and every single one of us came back home, because they had such an amazing leader, you."

"Thank you Nurse Joy."


	9. Preparations for the Ball

It was the next morning. The day things returned to normal here in Petalburg. But the palace was busier than ever. Each room had a Nurse Joy bustling through with work. I was wearing my usual white non-filly dress with my red cloak, walking around. My feet were no longer injured from before and my arm would heal soon enough. The small cuts elsewhere have also gone over knights. Whatever medicine they were giving me sure worked like a charm. Eventually I spotted Drew and Ash along the halls.

"Hey guys!" They turned aorund and saw me.

"Hi May," Ash greeted.

"Glad to see you're better," Drew said.

"Thanks," I said smiling. "So mind telling me why all the Nurse Joys are so busy?"

"You mean you don't know?" Drew asked sounding a little surprised. I just nodded my head no slowly.

"And I thought I was always the clueless one," Ash remarked. If Ash knew then I must have really been knocked out. "They're planning for your 13'th birthday party."

"My birthday party?" I asked.

"Yeah," Drew answered, "The 13'th birthday of Royalty is very important. When they become 13, they are oficialy no longer a child, as well as official royalty. But in your case, you have a choice weather to become royal or go home."

"Oh yeah," I said, looking down. I knew this day would come eventually. Time flies by pretty fast. "I always pictured my 13'th birthday being at Misty's, Dawn's, or your house and we'd just have a normal party. Now with all that's happened, I'm having a Princess Ball."

"Pretty ironic, don't you think?" Ash asked.

"Which ever choice you choose May, I'm sure it's the right one," Drew said.

With that I smiled a little and nodded, "Right."

"Princess May!" Shouted a few Nurse Joys. I turned around seeing at least three of them. This sorta shocked me a bit and I jumped.

"Princess May, please help us with the preparations! I need your opinion on your dresses!"

"And I need help with the design of your cake!"

"I need you to help choose the decorations for the Ball Room!"

"W-Wha-" By now the Nurse Joys grabbed my arms and ran down the halls, leaving Ash and Drew sweatdropping. May and Misty walked out of our room with all the commotion.

"What happned?" Misty asked.

"A couple Nurse Joys just dragged May of to help with her Princess Ball," Misty replied.

"May's ball! How could I forget?" Misty asked herself, "It's in three days isn't it!

"Yeah," Drew replied in a kind of daze.

"You know Drew, you should _ask_ May to her ball," Dawn suggested with that sly grin on her face. Ash and Misty starred at her as Drew made a face.

"W-What?" he asked.

"You know what I'm talking about," Dawn said sternly, "It might be your last three days with her if she decides to come back to the future."

"I-I don't know," Drew stuttered, rubbing the back of his head, " I mean, we're just friends and only friends. I've known her for a long time so it's kinda weird asking her to her own ball."

"A long time?" Misty asked tilting her head.

"It's only been about three weeks since we've all met!" Dawn shouted.

Then Ash's face changed like he just remembered something. "No he means since childhoo-"

Drew covered his mouth," It's nothing, let's forget it."

Misty and Dawn looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders, thinking it was a guy thing or whatever.

After a whole morning of helping prepare for the ball, I managed to sneak out of the palace. But of course, the town's people already knew who I was, even with my hood over my head. Didn't matter, I wasn't even going into town. Right now I was sitting underneath the Pecha Berry Tree way out behind the castle. I was feeding my Torchic a Pecha Berry. It was obvious Torchic needed some time outside the palace, as well as me.

I sighed, "Only so much time left before I have to choose." My Torchic looked up at me. She could notice how deep in thought I was in. She nuzzled at my arm and I turned my attention to her, smiling and petting her on the head.

"So this is where you've been," said a boy. I looked up and saw Drew walking here towards the Pecha Berry Tree with Roselia. He sat down beside me and we both stayed silent for a second, letting the wind blow in our faces.

"Have you made your decision yet?" he asked.

"No," I replied, "It's harder than I thought."

"It's ok, you still have the rest of the time to think about it," he reassured.

"It seems like I have a while to make my decision, but it seems like I only have seconds left," I said, hugging my knees, "I want to go home with my friends but... I don't want to leave Petalburg either, with the new friends I've made here."

Drew starred at me with sadness. I don't think I have ever seen him that way except for when I got hurt in my should, both in the cellar and in the battle field. Torchic started chirping sounds in front of me and my eyes starting tearing up a bit. I didn't know why but I was. I picked up my little Torchic and hugged her tightly as I sobbed. Roselia and Drew looked at each other then at me, somehow feeling my pain.

--ASH'S POV--

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Dawn yelled out. I, along with the others, covered our ears. I was surprised the glass in the room didn't break. Me, Misty, Dawn, Soladad, and Max were inside May's Dawn's, and Misty's room. If you haven't figured it out, we were talking about May and Drew.

"I understand how you feel about this Dawn but did you have to scream?" I asked, rubbing my ear.

"Well of course I have the perfect reason to scream!" Dawn said, yelling in front of my face, "May has only days left and she's not even doing anything!"

"Of course she is. She's helping with all of the Nurse Joys with her Princess Ball." Misty said.

"Not that!" Dawn yelled back, "I'm talking about her and Drew! It's totally obvious they have a thing for each other! And look at them out here through this window! They're under the Pecha Berry Tree talking! Actually, they're barely talking at all!! Just sitting there! Why doesn't Drew start something already?!"

"Well Dawn, May's going through a hard time right now, " Max said

"She has to choose between going back to the future or staying here. She may never see you or us again." Soladad added.

"She's got a point Dawn," I said.

"Yeah but," Dawn said starring out the window, "May's never liked _any guy _before in her entire life. And then she sees Drew and then look. It's like they knew each other very well."

"Actually..."Soladad started, "They sorta do."

"We know, they met about three weeks ago and they're good friends." I said, utterly clueless. The entire room received sweatdrops as I received a whack on the head from Misty. Somehow I was expecting that.

"Ow!" I yelled, rubbing my head.

"She didn't mean like that you doof!" Misty helled with an anime vein.

"You see..." Soladad started, "Maybe you should all sit down first. This will be a long story."

"Long story?" Max asked, "Did Drew and May _really_ meet sometime ago?"

"Wait a second, " I said, "I think I remember Drew telling me about that before when we met."

"What?" Dawn asked.

"Soladad what's going on?" Misty asked.

--MAY'S POV--

"Well May, tomorrow's the Princess Ball," reminded Nurse Joy. She was fixing up my canopy bed with new sheets. It's been two days.

"Yeah, I know," I replied to her, looking out my window.

"Queen Somei has completed the guests list and the invitations have been sent out all over Petalburg," she said, "All the nobles and higher class men."

My head jerked up when I heard she said the nobles and all the higher class men. "What about the lower class people?"

"Well they weren't on the list," she said, "But I'm sure your grandmother would allow you to invite whoever you please."

"Like Soladad, Drew, and Max?" I asked.

"Of course my princess," Nurse Joy said with a smile. "Why don't you go ask Queen Somei right now. She's in the Ballroom helping my sisters with the decor."

I nodded and picked myself up from my chair. I ran out the room and downstairs. I came across the main stairway, where I would be walking down tomorrow. I saw my grandmother down there talking with the Nurse Joys.

"Grandma!" I called out.

She turned around, a smile appearing on her face. "May, I'm glad to see you again. With all the preparations I've barely had time to see you."

"Good to see you too grandma," I greeted back, "Hey, is it ok if I invite my other friends, even though they're in lower class."

"Why of course child," she said, "I heard that only the higher class men got invited. I never should have asked the Royal Court to do the guest list for me." I made a small laugh. It wasn't much of a surprise that it's only be higher class men if it was the Royal Court's doing. "Tell you what May, I've got a bunch of invites left in the Calligraphy Room, all written and placed in envelopes. Why don't you get Ash, Misty, and Dawn to help you deliver them to the commoners."

I nodded as a bright smile appeared on my face, "Thank you," I bowed and held the sides of my dress as my head went down. Then I turned around on a swift and to the Calligraphy Room where all the royal letters were made and prepared. Along the way I could see Misty, Dawn, and Ash. When they saw me running they stopped.

"May what's the rush?" Misty asked with her curious face.

"I need to deliver invitations to all the commoners. They didn't get their's yet and the Ball's tomorrow." I explained, walking backwards, "Come on!" I resumed running facing forwards. The others shrugged and followed me to the Calligraphy Room. I opened the huge door and looked around. I've never been here before. On this table and saw a giant pile of leftover invitations. And it was the only pile of letters I saw so it was probably it.

"Wow, what is this place?" Ash asked with his eyes wandering.

"I think it's called the calligraphy Room," I said, taking a step forwards.

"So what is it you wanted us to do again?" Dawn asked, picking up one of the invitations on the table.

I looked around and saw four woven baskets. I smiled and took them, handing one to each of them. "Take as many invitations as you can. We're going into town to make a few deliveries."

I explained to them and then we all headed out into town. Torchic decided to come with me. Ash covered the north side of Petalburg, Dawn covered the west side, Misty covered the south side, and I was in the west. After getting all the towns people, I saw that the last people I needed to invite here on the east side of Petalburg was Soladad, Drew, and Max. I ran all the way to the farming area and saw it. In the fields I could see all the Pokemon, back in peace. Torchic ran from my side to join its friends. I smiled and I went up to their house. I knocked on their door and Soladad answered.

"May, you know you don't need to knock on our door for permission to enter."

"Eh, you know me," I said. We both smiled as she stepped aside to let me in. I walked inside, seeing Drew and Max sitting at the table all tired. I guess they were just out in the fields. They looked surprised to see me when they did.

"May, what are you doing here?" Max asked.

" I should be asking you that Max." I said, cocking an eyebrow.

"I always work Wednesdays here at the farm." he replied.

"What'cha got there May?" Drew asked, pointing to my basket.

"Oh this?" I asked, "They're invitations for my ball."

"You're inviting _us_?" Soladad asked, walking up to us.

"Of course," I replied, "You guys are like my closest friends. I'd be crazy not to invite you. I would have sent them out yesterday with the others, but the Royal Court was in charge of the guests list. They invited all the higher class-men and nobles. Apparently they didn't know that May Maple of Petalburg wanted _everyone_ to come."

"Even lower class people like us?" Max asked.

"Duh, why else would Misty, Dawn, Ash, and I be running all around town giving every commoner and lower class person an invitation?" I said, "I would have been done a long time ago if I had my roller blades."

"Your what?" Drew asked, looking at me with a strange face.

I laughed, since this time period had no idea what roller blades. "Never mind that. But I really want to invite you guys," I said, giving the three of them an invitation. They all starred at the envelope in the same shocked state. I looked at them back and forth in confusement. "What? What's wrong?" I asked, feeling I did something I wasn't supposed to, "Did I do something wrong?"

"Well... I don't think it's wrong but... it's weird." Drew said, turning his attention from the invitation in his hand to me.

"How's it weird?" I asked.

"You see May, commoners are never invited to Royal Balls." Max explained.

"Well this is _my_ ball. I should be able to invite whoever I want, even if it is commoners," I stated with a happy face, "So can you guys come?"

Soladad finally looked at me after a long while,"I only have one thing to say May... What should I wear?"

My eyes brightened and I hugged her. She hugged me back.

"W-Wait, we're seriously going?" Drew asked, surprised obviously.

"Well of course. No one in their right mind would turn this down. And it's for May's 13'th birthday. As well as her becoming royalty, weather she accepts or not," Soladad said, putting an arm around my shoulder. I smiled as Drew calmed down a bit, starring back at the envelope.

"Really?! Awsome! We're going to our first ball!" Max yelled, standing out of his seat.

"I'm surprised you're not so nervous, Max" Soladad said.

"Me nervous about a Ball? No way," Max said, shaking his hand in front of him, "If anyone's nervous, it's the lovebirds."

Drew and I both got anime veins and we both smacked him over the head. he was beginning to become Ash. Soladad sweatdropped as she scratched her cheek with that nervous grin.


	10. Run Away?

Today was the big day, July 10'th, my 13th birthday. It was now afternoon. And to be truthful, I still haven't made my decision. I sneaked quietly to the balcony, away from all the last minute preparations for the Princess Ball. I let the sun light set on me as my hand covered the top of my head.

"This is it May..." I said, seeing a flock Swablu and Altaria fly up in the air. It made me wish I could be free and just do what I wanted to do, rather than make the biggest decision of my life. Then I noticed something by the Pecha Tree. I looked father down ahead and saw Drew reading one of his books again. His Roselia was resting beside him. He noticed me and looked up, making a small wave. A smile appeared on my face as I waved back at him, sadly.

"Ok, that settles it," I said, " I can't stay here, or go home. It pains me to leave one group of my friends for another."

I turned around and walked back into my room. Drew looked confused by my actions. I wasn't always this sad or upset about something, and to him it seemed obvious.

Now it was sunset. The guests would arrive very soon. I had my small sack with some things inside, things I'd need. I wore my original outfit from home. I tied my bandanna over my head in front of the mirror, tightening the knot. _'I'm sorry everyone.'_

I walked out onto the balcony. Obviously I couldn't use the front door. I saw some vines at the side and started climbing down it.

_'If I had known these were here, my escape from Harley wouldn't have been that hard.'_I landed on the ground in the shadows. I began running. As I passed by the farm, no one was outside, not even the Pokemon. Except my Torchic. She blended in so well the field during sunset. She noticed me and ran over. Seeing me in unusual clothes and a sack over my shoulder told her what I was doing. I knelt down to her and petted her head. "I'm sorry Torchic. I can't go back to the future, but I can't stay in Petalburg either. It's just to hard for me, you know?"

She chirped sadly with those big watery eyes. Then she jumped into my arms. "You wanna come?" I asked her. She nodded vigorously. At least I would have one companion during this journey,

--MISTY'S POV--

Dawn and I were in out room, getting ourselves ready for May's Princess Ball. I fixed my dress and my hair in front of the mirror.

"Alright, I'm done," Dawn said, twirling around in her dress.

"I'm kinda worried though," I said, playing with a strand of my hair.

"About what?" Dawn asked.

"I mean, it's May. We haven't seen her for a while," I said, looking at the moon's reflection in my mirror.

"Don't worry Misty," Dawn said, walking behind me, "I'm sure she's fine. May probably went out or maybe she's busy around the palace. It is _her _ball anyway. And all the Nurse Joys have kept her busy for the past three days."

"I guess, but..."

"Shhh," Dawn said, putting a finger in front of her lips, "May is fine."

"Hey Misty, Dawn," called a voice. We looked at the door seeing Ash. He was wearing this outfit that made him look like a Prince. White pants and a blue and a blue tunic with all the yellow garnets on it and on the shoulders.

Dawn laughed, "Nice."

"Don't laugh," Ash said glaring at her, "Nurse Joy said I had to wear this thing. Besides, you two look happy with what you're wearing."

I blushed at his comment. Dawn just giggled. "Of course we do," she said.

Ash rolled his eyes smiling, "Come on, Queen Somei said the three of us have to be in the Ball Room now. The guests are arriving."

"Oh, I'm so nervous. And it's not even my ball," I said sighing.

We all stood and walked to the Main Room. There already was a lot of people. I guessed it was a good thing that the Ball Room was huge. Dawn immediately ran down seeing Drew, Max, and Solidad.

"Well, we should get down there too," I said.

"Yeah," he said. We both walked down the flight of stairs with the huge red carpet. To the others.

"Hi guys," we both said.

"You two going together or something?" Max said, since we were both holding hands. How I did _not _notice that, I will never know. We both blushed and let go.

Dawn giggled at the scene, "I guess May and Drew aren't the only love birds around here."

"W-What?!" Drew shouted.

"Oh come on Drew, it's so obvious!" Dawn said, shaking her hand, "We know how you two used to be such close friends a long time ago."

"Wait, y-you know about that?" Drew asked.

"Afraid so Drew," I said, "Soladad explained everything to us.

"Soladad!" Drew said.

Soladad smiled nervously as she held her hands up in defence, "Sorry Drew, just had to."

"Besides," Ash said, "What difference does it make that we know?"

"I don't... really know myself, "He replied.

"How come you didn't tell May?" I asked.

"Actually," he started, " she already knows. She just doesn't remember it."

"Well you could have tried to remind her or something," I said.

"Maybe I didn't want to," he said with his hands in his pockets, "I wanted to see if she would remember, on her own."

"Well apparently she couldn't," Dawn said, crossing her arms.

"Guys! Guys!" yelled Nurse Joy. We turned around seeing her run up to us, trying to catch her breath.

"Nurse Joy, what's wrong?" I asked.

"It's Princess May, she's gone!"

"What?" We all asked.

"Princess May is not in the palace! My sisters and I have searched everywhere for her!"

"I knew I felt something," I said, looking down.

"We better go and look for her," Soladad said, "If she's out, she couldn't have gone too far.

We all nodded, and sneaked out the Ballroom.

--DREW'S POV--

My Roselia and I searched through the night town. The others and I split up to _"cover more ground'_or something like that. The streets were practicaly empty, since probably the entire Kingdom was invited to the ball. A ball in which the Princess wasn't even at.

_'You idiot, where are you?'_

While we were runing, my Roselia suddenly stopped, Sencing something. I stopped too, wondering why why she stopped.

"What is it Roselia?" I asked, confused.

"Roselia,rose roselia!" She replied. Then she began running off.

"Roselia hold on!" I yelled running after her. Eventually I ended up near the borders of town, near the river. After crossing the bridge, you'd be out of the town. I guess you'd expect for May to be here.

"Torchic wait!" yelled a girl's voice, a voice that I recognized to be May's. I looked ahead at the rope bridge and saw her running after her Torchic as I was with Roselia. When Torchic stopped they were right in front of me, at the start of the bridge. It was a long way down from here, considering it was night. I noticed May was in the original clothes she wore when she first came to Petalburg and got arrested. She also had a small bag slung over her shoulder.

"Drew?" she asked starring at me.

"May?" I asked back, "What are you doing? The others and I have been looking everywhere for you."

"Maybe I didn't want to be found alright?" She said with a stern voice. I don't think I've ever seen his this serious before.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, placing my hands in the pockets of my pants. I was still wearing my normal clothes. Soladad, Max, and I couldn't afford anything fancy to wear to May's ball, "Well?"

"Well I just don't wanna stay in Petalburg. But I don't wanna go home either ok?"

"May you're talking nonsence," I said.

"Drew you don't understand!" she yelled, "I have to make the most important decision of my life tonight, wheather I should become a real princess or not! Which of my friends I should stay with or leave behind! I dont want to have to go through any of that."

"So you're just gonna run away from it I see," I said, keeping my calm face. She just starred for a second before she turned around. Her Torchic looked at her.

"Come on Torchic, let's go." she said, not facing me at all.

Her Torchic made a few chirps before looked back at Rosellia. They both nodded and ran to the edge of the bridge, where the rope was tied to keep it raised. My eyes widened as May turned around, the same expression I had. Torchic and Rosellia were trying to taken down the bridge? I heard the rope snap, and then the bridge started to give out, with May still on it, as well as Torchic and Rosellia. They began falling as I ran to the edge. I grabbed onto may's hand as I hit the ground.

"May!" I shouted out to her. I could feel myself being pulled in.

"Drew just let go of my hand!"She yelled back.

"What are you crazy?!" I asked. Roselia and Torchic were holding onto the edge of the cliff as well. Roselia seemed to have that under control with her Vine Whip, so our two Pokemon weren't in any danger. Why they weren't helping out, I'd never understand.

"Drew let go!"

"No!"

Then my entire body fell off the edge and we started falling down, heading towards the dark river below. As we were falling, May and I grabbed hands. I looked up and saw Roselia's Vine Whip let go, and on purpose. Just what had gotten into those two? May and I screamed as we were falling, eventually into the river. It wasn't as dangerous and wavy as we had thought, probably due to how hark it was and considering it was night.

"Drew! Drew you alright?!" May said, gasping for air.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine!" I replied, trying to keep my head out of the water.

Torchic and Roselia started calling us. May and I looked to them and saw them swimming over to something. We saw a small piece of ground across the river with a cave there. May and I both swam there, following our Pokemon. Once we gotten inside the cave and away from the river, we slid to the ground soaking wet.

"Drew you dolt," May said, catching her breath, "Why didn't you let me go? At least you wowouldn't have had to be dragged into this."

"I wasn't gonna let you fall in like that. What were you thinking?"

"Don't ask me. Ask that Roselia of yours."

"Then you as your Torchic, seeing that they both obviously planned for this to happen."

After realizing what we just aid, we stopped glaring at each other and looked over to our two Pokemon. They both seemed very calm. Why?

"Roselia?"

"Torchic?"

"Is there something you'd like to explain?" May and I both asked simultaneously. They both turned around and began running down the dark cave. Before I could call out to them, they were already gone. I just groaned and rubbed my head.

"What in the world has gotten into them?" I asked.

"Hold on, I think I have a flashlight in my pocket," May said, searching her pockets.

"A _flashlight_?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. It was probably some future invention thing. She got out this hand size thing and pressed this switch, making a light shine in the front, almost like a lamp. She pointed it down the cave as it lit up. Our eyes widened as we saw.

"What is this?" May asked, looking around with her flashlight.

"I don't know," I replied with the same amount of surprise. on the walls were chalk drawings of Pokemon. And dozens of them too. I walked up to the chalk drawings, feeling the hard rock on my hands.

"Where exactly are we?" May asked.

"Maybe we should go deeper ahead. First we need to find Torchic and Rosellia," I explained.

--MAY'S POV--

nodded and we both ran down the dark cave. When we got to the end, what we saw was amazing. It was a giant cavern with so many Pokemon. It was hard to believe this was all _inside _a cave. All the Pokemon you could think of, right there. There was practically grass growing from under our feet. In the middle of the huge cave was a lake. And behind the lake was a tree house. And not the kind of tree house with the tiny house on top of the branches. It was really like a tree house. The door was at the bottom of the tree and there were windows around the trunks. On its branches were some nests of the bird Pokemon. I'd bet it looked even more beautiful during the day time. This place... just what was it?

"Amazing..." I said,"This place... it has almost a nostalgic feeling in it."

"Me too," Drew said, looking around. He then looked down at Torchic and Rosellia, "Were you two trying to bring us here?"

They both nodded and began running again, this time towards the tree house.

"Guys wait!" I yelled out, but they wouldn't stop. I just groans and slapped my forehead, "We better go after them again."

"Right," Drew said.

We ran after Rosellia and Torchic, again. They went through the door in the tree house, which was open by the way. We followed them inside. It was rather dark, until Drew lit up some of the lanterns inside. By now Rosellia and Torchic have stopped running.

"Now where are we?" I asked.

'T_his tree house... No way...' _Drew thought.

Rosellia and Torchic led us to this treasure chest in the corner of the room. I'd explore the rest of the tree house but we came here for a reason. Obviously this reason involved that treasure chest.

"You want me to open it?" I asked. Both Torchic and Rosellia nodded. I starred at Drew and he just shrugged, just as confused as I was. I knelt down and opened the treasure chest. My eyes widened. Inside were a bunch of photos, books, toys, costumes, a lot of children's things. And the weirdest part, I could remember these things, even a little.

"Drew... what are these things?" I asked, "Drew?"

When I turned around, he had the same facial expression I had when I opened the treasure chest. He walked by and knelt down starring into the chest as well. By now he was calmer as less surprised. He then took out this book from the chest.

"Drew what's that?" I asked, pointing at the dusty old book.

"Here," he said, handing it to me," I think you should take a look at it."


	11. May's Childhood

"Um, ok," I said. I took the book from his, hesitating at first. I blew off the dust and waved my hand on it. When it cleared, I saw on it _'Photo Album Memories'_. What did that mean? I slowly opened the cover, revealing a series of pages. Each with pictures on them. On them were younger versions of me. And not just me. Drew and Soladad were there as well, also young. If it weren't for the creepiness right now, I would be wondering how they had cameras during this time period.

"W-What the..."

"Do you remember any of this May?" Drew asked, looking at the photo album by me. I shook my head no, but slowly.

"Was this me before I lost my memories?" I asked.

"Yeah," he replied. I haven't been here since you disappeared. That's probably why I didn't remember it so well when we arrived here.

"Here?" I asked... "How did you find this place before?"

"Not just me," he said. He turned a couple pages. There I saw some pictures of this cave, forest, whatever it was. I was there, and so was Drew. We were running around like little kids, playing with the Pokemon residing there.

"Is that...?"

"Yeah, that's us. Soladad always liked taking pictures," he explained, "This is also where we first met."

My head lifted up and I looked at Drew. His eyes were glued to the pictures.

"How did it happen? Do you remember?" I asked.

--DREW'S POV--

I looked up, trying to remember the day May and I met. Actually being here made me remember it as if it were just yesterday.

"Yeah, I remember very clearly," I said. "Here's how it happened"

-- FLASHBACK/STILL DREW'S POV--

I was only 6. Soladad was already 10. Soladad and I were in our house, doing normal things, helping out our parents around the house. This was when they were still alive. I on the other hand didn't enjoy "cleaning" and "dusting" and cooking", all that junk. I'd rather help out my dad in the fields but my mom says I'm still "too young".

"Come on mom please? I finished all my chores already. And I'm not gonna be working the fields this time," I begged.

"Yeah right," Soladad said, drying the last of the dishes, "Unlike the last time we let you outside and you broke your arm running through the corn fields."

"Who's side are you on anyway?!"

My mother sighed, " Alright Drew, you can go."

"I can?" I asked.

"He can?!" Soladad shouted.

"He can," my mom said, keeping her calm happy face and she continued cooking.

"Alright!" I yelled, punching my fist into the air. Soladad just groaned and slapped her forehead. My Roselia ran up to me, hearing the news.

"Now Soladad, watch Drew ok?" mom said.

"Yeah yeah, I know," she said, "But I'm bringing my camera, incase the little _Pokemon trainer_ gets into a little trouble. Then at least I'll have some proof."

I crossed my arms and glared at her. Even though she was adopted almost a year ago, she's already acting like the boss of me. We ran out of the house as we took a walk down the path.

"Remember Drew, we can't wander too far alright?" Soladad said.

"Oh come on Soladad, so we wander a little farther off the fields. Not like anything will happen to us."

"That's what you said last time," She said, sweatdropping. Eventually we made it to the cliff. There was a rope bridge from one side to the other. Then again there were the stairs carved into the edges of the cliff leading downward. Then there was a stone bridge leading to the other side of the river all the way down. On the other cliff were stairs carved in leading upwards.

"Ok, this is far enough Drew. Let's head back," Soladad said, turning around.

"What no way!" I shouted with Rosellia behind me, "Let's at least go across to the other side, please?"

Soladad groaned again," Alright, alright, but let's take the stair case and the stone bridge."

"That'll take to long. The rope bridge is faster anyway," I said crossing my arms.

"Better safe than sorry Drew," she said, "And I'm not crossing that thing. And you can't go all by yourself. So ha."

"Whatever, I don't care what you say."

"Then I'll go with you," said a girl's voice. We both turned around seeing a brown haired girl with a pink and yellow cloak.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am May. And you are?"

"I'm Drew, and this is my step-sister Soladad."

"Uh, nice to meet you I guess," Soladad said, scratching the back of her neck. "What's a little girl like you doing out here alone?"

"I'm... taking a break from my duties at home," she said in a calm state, "My parents never let me out."

"Really, mine neither," I said taking an interest in this girl.

"A commoner? Really?" May asked, looking at me.

"Yeah, aren't you a commoner too?" Soladad asked.

"Um... you can say I'm of higer class, but ok," May said trying to find the right words," Anyway, I heard you wanted to try and cross the rope bridge."

"Yeah, I am," I said.

"Great, I've always wanted to try and cross it to get to the other side, but I've always been to scared to go alone," she said, twiddling with her fingers.

"Oh really, Soladad didn't you say that I _couldn't go alone, _hm?" I said with a smirk on my face. Soladad's face fell as she starred at me.

"U-Um, w-well I did say that b-but, um, y-you know-"

"It is nothing Soladad. I'm sure the bridge is as secure as the stone bridge below in the canyon," May said with a smile. Soladad sweatdropped. Comparing the rope bridge to the stone rbidge below, it looked like a Steelix hanging on a thread. Of course we were 6-year-olds and it didn't really occur to us the dangers of a rope bridge, "Drew let's go!"

"Right!"

We both started for the bridge with Rosellia right behind us. Soladad held out her arm stuttering still, trying to keep us from going any farther. While we were halfway across the rope bridge, the boad cracked and fell apart, falling into the river under us. We fell through as well, as if we were flying. Except this could actually kill us.

"Drew! May! Rosellia!" Soladad shouted from up above. All three of us crashed to the blue river. My Rosellia caught hold of land at the side of the canyon and used Vine Whip to pull us out. We both got on dry land as coughed out some water.

"Thanks so much Rsellia," I said, trying to breathe.

"That is a powerful Rosellia you have Drew," May said," I wish I could have a Pokemon."

"Why? Don't you have any?"

She nodded her head no,"My parents don't allow me. They say it's for my own protection. I don't know why though, they have Pokemon of their own. They always says it's because I'm only a kid.

I smiled," That's what my parents say. I want to help out my family by working in the fields with my dad, but my mom says I'm too little. So I don't go out much either."

"To be truthful, I just sneak out of home," May said. We both smiled and laughed, seeing how much we had in common together. Then I noticed a huge cave by the wall.

"Hey May, while we're outside of our homes, why don't we go explore that cave there?" I suggested, pointing at the huge cave entrance. It was still day so it wasn't as dark.

"Alright, let's go!" she said standing up. I expected her to say "_No, it's too scary"_. Most girls didn't really go for the adventurous life, like Soladad for instance. This May girl seemed pretty different. I got up and we walked in. As we went deeper into the cave, it started getting brighter at the end. At the end, our eyes widened. It was a huge oasis. And it was all _inside_. So much Pokemon I've never seen before. Such a crystal clear lake and tree. Plus at the top was the clear blue sky, as if we were inside a volcano.

"Wow!" May said, looking amazed. "This is like a paradise!"

"But no one in Petalburg knows about this place," I added, just as surprised, "Hey May, why don't we keep this a secret? Just the two of us?"

"Of course! I swear I won't tell anyone." I said.

Then she held up her hand, lifting her pinky, "Pinky promise first."

"_Pinky Promise_?" I asked.

"Yeah, it's something I learned from a dream I had, about the future. A Pinky Promise is like a special promise between two friends. And they have to keep it, no matter what," I explained. I smiled brightly and I held up my pinky with hers, hooking them together, "Yubikiri genman, uso tsuitara hari senbon nomasu yubi kitta," she chanted, shaking her hand slowly up and down.

"What was that?" I asked.

"It's the language the Pinky Promise was said in my dream," she explained, "In English, it means _Pinky promise, if I'm lying, may I be pierced by a thousand needles._"

"Well don't worry, this secret's safe with me," I assured her.

With that she made another smile, "We'll be great friends Drew, I know it!"

--END FLASHBACK--

"Wow, so that's how we met as kids?" May asked. I nodded my head.

"Yeah, it was a fun day. I actually made my first friend. And by what I learned, I was your first friend as well."

"Hm... so that was it. Did Soladad ever find out?" she asked, "If she's the ones taking the pics here then she must have found out."

I laughed," Yeah, she found out, by following us. Shortly after we made that Pinky Promise, Soladad ran through the entrance from the cave, all out of breath. Then we had to make her promise not to tell my parents. Of course they never found out."

"Did my parents ever find out?" May aske,d pondering a minute.

"Not as far as I know," I said, "Actually, we didn't find out about your being a princess for a while.

--FLASHBACK--

May and I were inside the cave. May brought chalk with her. We decided to decorate the walls of the cave. May said that it'd look _prettier_, if that was even a word. But either way, I went along with her. It was a good idea anyway. On the walls we were drawing Pokemon. This was about a wekk after we found out about this place.

"Thanks for helping me out Drew," May said.

"No problem, Rosellia said she wanted to go meet up with you here so I went with her," I said, continuing my drawing.

"Hi May! Drew!" said Soladad's voice. We saw at the entrance of the cave was Soladad, her camera around her next. She took a picture of the both of us drawing, or at least starring at her weirdly and holding a piece of chalk.

I sweatdropped, "Must you always bring your camera?"

"Well duh, these are good memories. You'll thank me for this one day," she said, wagging her finger at me, "So May, where do your parents live?"

I noticed May tense up a bit as she turned around, wearing a nervous grin, "Um, let's say they're constantly busy and I'm constantly under watch. So I sneak out with my cloak."

Of couse we weren't buying it. That wasn't the _whole _truth. And she could tell, just by looking at us, "Oh fine, I'll tell you," she started. Then she took a huge breath, "My name's Maylin Maple of the Royal Family."

Soladad and I looked at each other for a second, trying to sink in what just happened. She was _the _princess of Petalburg? This girl? This non-girly girl was the Princess?

"S-Seriously? That's you?" I asked, then again it would make a lot of sense with what she was going through.

"Yes," She said looking down. I know my parents mean a lot, but thy're very over protective of me. I'm never let out of the palace so I take my cloak and sneak out. They never really notice unless I'm out very late.

"Wow," was all I could say.

"U-Uh, d-do you want us to start calling you as such May?-I-I mean, Princess May-" Soladad stuttered. During her days as a child she had a hard time picking out her words.

May giggled," It's ok, you two are my friends. You do not have to call me as such."

I rolled my eyes. Suddenly we could hear another noise. Not me, Soladad, Rosellia, or May.

"Did you hear that guys?" I asked.

"Yeah, I did too." May said, sounding a little scared. She clung to my arm, making me blush. I never blushed before, why now? Rosellia stood in front of us as defence as the figure started walking towards us. When it came out of the shadows, we saw it was just a Torchic. When it chirped and tilted it's head, Soladad and I sweatdropped.

"It was just a Torchic," Soladad and I said simultaneously.

"Aw, how adorable!" May said, picking her up.

"Careful May! Wild Pokemon can be dangerous you know," Soladad warned. this was true. While we were exploring the cave the past week, it took forever for the Pokemon to get used to seeing us humans. But of course, the Torchic did not react to May's touch. I was quite surprised with that.

"So your name is Torchic huh?" May asked, "Well then, how about you be my secret Pokemon? My parents don't have to know about you."

The little orange Pokemon nodded, nuzzling it's head at May. She smiled and hugged it. Then I saw a flash and turned around. Soladadjust took a picture. I starred at her weirdly and she just grinned. This was some Princess alright.

--END FLASHBACK--

"Even then, you were still the same girl you are now," I said, "The Pokemon got along very well with you."

"I can only imagine... such an amazing childhood, away from the city and enjoying life's simplest pleasures," May said, somewhat in a daze, "... How'd it end?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." May started, "how did I really get in cased in that ice. My grandma wouldn't explain to much of it. I know it involved my mother but that's all I know."

"That day, it was the day of the invasion." I said. I could remember that day just as clearly. It was the last day we ever saw our former king and queen. It was the last day I ever saw my parents. And it was the last day I ever saw May.

--FLASHBACK--

I was running. It was a dark day today. Petalburg was being invaded, by these knights in black armor. I didn't know who they were, but they were killing everyone in the Kingdom. They just broke into my house and got my parents. Soladad and I ran out of the house, with those knights following us with their long blades. Rosellia caught up to us as well.

"Soladad what are we gonna do?" I asked, holding her arm in fear.

"Drew you and Rosellia run, run far away from these knights," she said with a serious face. With that she took out a pokeball from her pockets, throwing it into the air, "Alright Milotic! Help us out!"Out came a beautiful Milotic. Soladad had caught it about a year ago, "Drew I said go!"

I started running the opposite way, Rosellia right by my side. The first thing I knew to go to was the Royal Palace. I needed to make sure May was safe. When I got there, the palace was already in flames. I stood in horror as the flames engulfed the building. I could see May's father, the king, fighting the black knights with his sword. but then he was defeated, falling to the ground, gone. I could only imagine, could May have gone through the same thing just now?

"Help!" yelled May's voice, which snapped me back into reality, "Help! Help!"

I followed May's screaming voice. I arrived at the back of the castle. There I saw May and her mother on the balcony. The couldn't go inside because the building was already burning. "Drew! Help!"

I made a stern face, "Rosellia, I need you to use Magical Leaf." Rosellia starred at me in a strange way, "I know it's an attack, but made it might help May and her mom get down from there."

She nodded positioned her arms in front of the balcony, shooting a Magical Leaf attack. The sparkling leaves went around May and the queen, lifting them into the air. They landed safely down on the ground in front of me. I had no idea Magical Leaf could be used that way.

"May are you alright dear?" the queen asked, stroking her daughter's hair.

May nodded, no longer scarred, "Yes mother."

"And you young man," the queen said, looking at me, "Thank you for saving my daughter and I."

"That's my friend Drew. And his Rosellia," May said.

"Well then, I guess you sneaking out of the palace isn't _always_a bad thing now is it," her mom said laughing. Suddenly he all heard an explosion, coming from the front of the castle.

"Alright kids, I need you to come with me. We have to hide," the queen said. May and I nodded. We ran to this area and into a cave underground. We thought we were safe for the time being, but then we saw those Black Knights appear before us. That scared the heck out of me May me. The queen stood in front of us as defence.

"Drew! Take my daughter and run! Protect her!" She shouted, taking out two pokeballs. She threw them and appeared two Beautiflies. One stayed by the Queen while the other Beautifly came by us. "Take my Beautifly, you'll need her incase Rosellia tires out."

"But mother-" May started, her eyes watering.

"Hurry!" her mother yelled back.

"May come on! We have to get out of here." I said, clasping my hand in hers. We both started running again, holding hands so we wouldn't be separated. At the end of the cave, we came to a dead end, there was a huge gap of water.

"Oh no, it's a dead end," May said in horror.

I could hear the Black Knights coming, running towards here.

"Man, we don't have much time," I said, "May, you know I promised your mom I'd protect you right?"

"Yes?" she said, looking at me worriedly.

"Then please, forgive me for what I'm about to do," I said, looking down. My eyes were starting to water and I could let May see that," What? Drew I don't get it."

"Rosellia, use Grasswhistle."

Rosellia hesitated at first, but then obeyed my orders. A soothing sound came from Rosellia, heading for May. She then collapsed. I caught her before she could fall. She was asleep. By now I was really crying. I walked into the water and placed her in there. The two Pokemon were really confused with what I was doing.

"Ok, now Beautifly... use Blizzard on May."

She obeyed as a part of the water turned into ice. Inside the ice was May, fast asleep, frozen. Almost like Snow White. She started drifting, out into the water. This way, she could probably survive, rather than be killed by the Royal Knights.

'_I'm sorry May... I hope you'll survive'_

--END FLASHBACK--


	12. Final Decision: END

--MISTY'S POV--

"Oh man, did you guys find her?" Dawn asked in worry. She, Misty, Ash, Max, and Soladad were back in the Ball Room. We haven't found May yet, and the entire crowd of people was starting to get restless.

"No luck," I said.

"We can only hope Drew has," Soladad said, looking down. Then we saw Queen Somei and a Nurse Joy walked towards us. She looked just as worried.

"I heard the news," Queen Somei said. We all looked away, trying to hide our guilty looking faces. She just sighed," I'm not really surprised that May has run away."

"You're not?" Max asked.

Queen Somei shook her head,"No, facing a decision such as this, to May it's like a final good bye to her friends."

I made a small smile, "Yeah... that does sound like May... She never did like saying goodbye."

"Yeah," added Ash, "On our last day of the third grade she had a really tough time saying she was gonna miss us."

"Oh yeah..." Dawn said, remembering the old days back in the future, "She hated depressing things..."

"I can remember one day back in our younger days, Drew and I had to sell a couple of baby Vulpixes for money, after they hatched. She was crying each time one got sold," Soladad said with a warm smile.

"Yor majesty," Nurse Joy said bowing her head, "It is almost 9:00. If Princess May does not arrive and make her decision, I'm afraid she'll have to decline the throne and her friends shall be sent home at midnight.

The queen sighed sadly, "Very well... the town's people are restless anyway. They can no longer wait for something that's not even here.

"Wait..." Dawn said, her head lifting slowly, "She's coming..."

"What?" Ash asked," What do you mean _they're coming_? Now's not the time for your _predictions _of the latest fashion trends."

"No Ash, recently her predictions really make sense, and is _actually _something that doesn't have to do with clothes," I said, holding my arm in front of him to keep him from disturbing Dawn, "It's something I've seen for myself back in Kurai, while we were in the tower."

"_Predictions _you say?" Queen Somei asked.

"Yeah," I replied, "Dawn's sorta liked taking yoga and really likes to meditate."

"She does a lotta weird things. Like palm readings, potion conjuring, collecting strange objects, and she's very superstitious," Ash explained, "Except her predictions always include strange things about clothes and aren't very specific. And when they don't have anything to do with clothes they're always wrong"

"Except," I started, "This time, ever since we came into the Medieval Ages, her predictions have been _very_ specific, and very true."

Our conversation suddenly came to a halt when we saw the two giant corridors open. And there stood Drew and May, both looking all tired out. Their clothes were covered in dirt and so was their hair. Torchic and Rosellia were right beside their trainers. Our group ran through the shocked crowd and made it to the front. May was in her old clothes from the modern world, with her bandanna and her bag.

"May, thanks heavens you're safe," Queen Somei said, hugging her granddaughter tightly.

"I'm ok grandma," May said, hugging her back, "And it's all because of Drew. It was him who persuaded me to come back here to the palace."

"Oh, is that so?" Soladad asked with a sly smile on her face as she crossed her arms.

"Yeah, so what," Drew said in his defence, putting his hands in his pockets and turning his head away.

"I knew you'd find her Drew!" Max said, "How'd you get her to come back?"

"Yeah, she looks like she was about to leave Petalburg." I said.

"Actually," Drew started, "That's the story. She tried to run away, but I found her and... let's just say we had an unexpected turn of events.

"What matters most is that May's safe and sound here with us,"I said, placing my clasped hands on my chest with my calm and smiling face.

--MAY'S POV--

"Oh yes Misty, that reminds me," my grandma started, "May, have you come to your decision?"

By now everyone in the Ball Room was looking at me for an answer. I think after all that's happened today, and the past month during my stay, I had come to my final decision. I walked slowly down the red velvet carpet. The people parted as I walked down it. I ended up at the top of this marble platform, so that everyone could see and hear me.

"Everyone," I started, I know... that you all came here, because of my 13th birthday, as well as for my crowing as official Princess of Petalburg. And hopefully future ruler of it as well but..." I looked at my friends. They were at the side of the crowd in front of me. I took a deep breath, "This ball is not only for my birthday, or my crowning. It's much more. As most of you may already know, I disappeared from Petalburg, in cased in ice to survive after the invasion. Well... I did survive. I lost all my memories as I was raised in the future. But... I was still the same old me, because of the friends I grew up with there. And they are truly, the best friends I could ever ask for. Then thanks to a certain... turn of events, I ended up here back in my original time, something I had to find out on my own. Then I met my old friends. And my grandmother, Queen Somei, being the kind person she is, gave me a decision, to return to the future as a normal girl... or to stay here in Petalburg, as Princess. To let my friends from the future go back home, and for me to never see them again."

I noticed Misty, Dawn, and Ash look down, thinking of the thought that we'd never see each other again.

"After the second war, and today's night, I learned that... Petalburg is my home, the origins of my parents, the former king and queen... I feel that it is my duty to serve my people and my land."

I could see Misty and Dawn crying already. It seemed clear that I was gonna stay in Petalburg, while they returned to the future. I tried hard not to cry.

"Although I may never see them again... I will not ever, forget them. Along the years, I lost my memories of my childhood here in Petalburg. I lost the memories of my old friends. But then I returned here. And little by little I began remembering my them. And it is because of those old friends I'm where I am right now. If memory loss won't stop me from remembering who my friend are, then I believe I will never, ever forget." I said. Now Misty and Dawn had tiny smiles on their faces and watery eyes ash Ash had a warm smile on his, with his hands at his side.

"I fully accept the tittle... of Maylin Maple, Princess of Petalburg."

After my _speech, _Dacion, the man from the Royal Court, began clapping. And soon the entire room was clapping. I smiled, finally getting over my fear. Yes I'd never see Ash, Misty, or Dawn, but I could in my dreams. And they could see me in their's. As the clapping settled, my grandmother came up on the platform and hugged me.

"May, I am proud of you. I bet your parents are as well."

"Thanks Grandma, but I'm just, you know, following my duties as a member of the Royal Family. It's nothing," I said smiling.

"Yes May, I am proud you decided to stay in Petalburg as your decision, but that's not why."

"It isn't?" I asked, "Then why are you so proud of me?"

"Because of your answer. You said you'd remain here in this time period, but your memories, both of this world and the future, were to remain in your heart as well. You stick with your friends no matter what the consequences. Especialy that Drew boy."

I blushed, "Drew?"

"Yes, it was him who brought you back after all. And I felt it would have _had_ to be him out of all your friends to do whatever he did."

I laughed,"You don't know the half of it."

"May!" yelled the others. I looked up and saw all my friends running up with me onto the platform. Dawn and Misty jumped on me giving me a huge hug, knocking me to the ground. They were both crying with anime tears

"Oh May that was beautiful!" Dawn shouted.

"We'll miss you so much!" Misty yelled.

"I'm gonna miss May too but I don't think it'll help by covering her with tears." Ash said smiling. He and Drew got them off me and they began wiping their eyes again.

"Well May, how about we get you your dress. It's time your Princess Ball began," my grandma said, "And Drew, Max, Soladad, you three are very close friends of my granddaughter, I can tell. I believe you three deserve something fancy to wear as well."

The three of them bowed their heads, "Thank you."

I smiled, this has gone a lot better than from what I thought in the very beginning of this adventure.

"And May, because of your answer, I have a special, special present for your 13th birthday." my grandma said.

"You do?" I asked.

She nodded her head, "I know that you love your friends very dearly, in the past and in the future. And therefore... I am giving you this."

Nurse Joy came up holding a red pillow and yellow laces. On it was that Golden Pokeball. I remembered that. Back in the future, it was because of that Golden Pokeball Misty, Ash, Dawn, and I ended up here in the first place. "Is that..."

"Yes May," my grandma said, nodding her head, "It's the Golden Pokeball. With this you can use it to travel through time, more specificly your world and this world, no farther no less."

"And you're..."

She nodded her head again, "Yes, this belongs to you know. With a heart such as yours, I know it belongs in good hands."

"So that means... I can see my friends? Any time I want?" I asked, she smiled and nodded again. I hugged her with small tears running down my eyes.

"Well what do ya know, everything ends out alright, just as it always does," Dawn said.

"Yeah, May got her fairy tale ending," Max added.

--FEW MINUTES LATER--

I was in the most beautiful gown I could ever think of. It was probably touching the floor. I had long sparking princess gloves and a diamond and ruby tiara. I made it back to the Ball Room, and everyone eyes landed on me at the top of the huge staircase. And it was just as I had dreamed it would be. Me in a Princess gown, everyone eyes on me, and me walking down the elegant staircase. Music started playing as I walked down it, with my grandmother of course.

"Behold," my grandmother said, "Petalburg's new Princess!"

Everyone cheered and clapped. I could see Misty, Dawn, and Ash in the crow as well, my Torchic with them. After the applaud and after I made it down the stair case, everyone began dancing to the ball room music. In the corner of my eye, I could see my grandmother dancing with Dacion. I rolled my eyes, smiling. I guess even old people had their happy endings. Through the busy crowd I could see Soladad and Dawn running towards me. Soladad was now in a beautiful dress as well.

"Hi guys! I've been looking everywhere for you!" I said, clasping my hands together.

"Well we've been looking for you too _Princess_ May," Dawn said, giggling.

I looked around, "Hey, where's Misty? I thought she'd be with you two. And Ash, Max, and Drew-"

Soladad and Dawn looked at each other and made a grin. When Dawn made that kinda sly grin, it only meant she had a plan for matchmaking. She did it all the time back in the future, "Um, what are you guys do-" Before I could finish they each grabbed my arm, pulling me through the crowd in a fast pace."Guys where are we going?! I can run in this dress you know!"

"You'll see!" Soladad replied as she continued running. Soon enough they stopped and by now I had swirly anime eyes. But I could hear something else.

"Guys wait! What's this all about?!" I heard Drew scream. I looked back Soladad and Dawn, seeing Max and Ash pulling Drew by his arms, just as I was with Dawn and Soladad. When they stopped too, the four _matchmakers _stepped aside so Drew and I were in front of each other. Drew was in a similar outfit to Ash's. I blushed. I could see his face reddening as well.

"Um... h-hi May," Drew said nervously.

"Y-Yeah, hi," I said, "Um, you look really handsome in those clothes." I looked away, seeing that my face was getting even more red.

"Thanks... Y-You look beautiful in that dress too." He said in return, turning red as well.

"Well, I think that the guys were trying to set us up," I whispered into his ear.

"I'm thinking the same thing too," Drew said, hiding his small laugh.I could see the others hiding in the crowd, but spying on us.

"It doesn't surprise me the guys would do this to us," Drew said.

"It doesn't?" I asked, looking at his strangely.

He turned a light shade of red, "Um, I guess. Well, you know them."

I laughed, "Yeah."

"Oh just dance already!" we heard Dawn yell. We turned our heads seeing Soladad, Ash, and Max covering Dawn's mouth.

"I guess I was right," I said, in between giggles.

Suddenly, I felt something pushing on my leg, well, at least trying to. I looked behind me and saw Torchic nudging at my dress, trying to push me forward. Then I noticed Rosellia behind Drew, trying to push him as well. Something told me they were in on the set up as well... I could only imagine Misty's part in this little Matchmaker Game.

"Hehe, I think they want us to dance," I said with a small smile.

"Well, we wouldn't want to disappoint them," Drew said, smiling as well. He bowed letting out his hand in front of me, "May I have this dance, Princess May?"

I laughed at his acting, "Of course you may." I said, taking his hand. I never practiced ballroom dancing before so I was a little nervous. It seemed Drew knew pretty well. "I didn't know you could Ballroom dance."

"Well, you _did_ teach me how to." he said.

"I did?" I asked, cocking my head to the side. He made a small laugh since I couldn't _remember_.

"When we were little, we were bored to death and by some miracle you convinced me to learn ballroom dancing.

Then I suddenly remembering seeing a picture in that photo album. On it was a picture of me and Drew ballroom dancing in the fields. Soladad's Milotic was using Swift to make a background of stars falling from the night sky. So it was probably one of Drew's parents who took the picture.

--SOLADAD'S POV--

After a while, we saw May and Drew dancing.

"Step 1 of plan G.M.A.D.T complete," Dawn said with a sly smile.

"Tell me again what G.M.A.D.T means," Ash said with a sweatdrop.

Dawn made a huge groan, "It mean Getting May And Drew Together, happy?"

I rolled my eyes, "Now that step 1's done, time for step 2?"

"Duh, now hurry up before something else happens!" Dawn said, flipping her hand. I nodded and ran up the stairs to the roof, right above the Ballroom. There Misty was hiding with her _technology_ stuff, or whatever that was.

"Hey Misty," I called, reaching the roof.

Misty was sitting down trying to catch her breathe, "I don't know how you people can climb all these stairs. I _seriously _miss the elevator."

"The what?" I asked.

"Um, an elevator's sorta like walking up the stairs, without the stairs... or the walking... oh I'll tell you some other time," Misty said, getting confused in her own words, "Is step 1 done?"

"Without a doubt," I replied. I then took out my pokeball, releasing my Milotic.

"Are you sure about this Soladad?" Misty asked, preparing her remote or whatever it's called.

"Positive, I've kept that picture with ever ever since. It'll definitly be romantic enough." I said, nodding, "Is your... _invention thingy _set?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact it is. And hopefully this one will work 100 percent," she said, pressing one ore button, "Alright Soladad, you know what to do."

I nodded, "Right, Milotic use Water Pulse!"

My Milotic obeyed and fired her attack over the roof. Misty continued pressing all these other blinking buttons. Then suddenly the roof began shaking. And then, the entire roof above the Ballroom started sliding open, until it was clear to the night and starry sky. My eyes gaped at what had just happened. Misty said her part of the plan was gonna be awsome but, this was totally not what I had imagined.

"What-how-why'd-What just happened?!" I asked, pointing at where the roof used to be.

"Technology can do wonders Soladad," Misty said, winking at me, "Now use your Swift attack."

I smiled, getting out of the state I was previously in. Alright Milotic, use Swift over the ballroom, full power!"

Milotic charged her attack and then a huge beam was fired above the palace. Then out of the bright light, stars and pixie dust began falling out and into the ballroom, as if like rain, and very slow rain to savor the moment. Misty and I smiled, high fiving each other.

--MAY'S POV--

The ceiling from the top of the ballroom had just opened up and then stars and pixie dust began slowly falling in. The entire crowd was amazed as the sparkles fell into their hands, disappearing.

"Wow, this is so amazing,!" Drew said, looking around.

"Yeah... just like that day in the picture," I said.

"Oh, so you remember the setting," Drew said, looking at me.

I nodded, "Yeah, dark night sky, filled with twinkling stars. Then a Swift Attack falling through like shooting stars. And now... it's actually happening again."

"Now that I think about it, this is Milotic's Swift attack," Drew said, "Soladad's Milotic."

I smiled, looking at him. His eyes were fixed on the sky above. I felt my hand grab his. I could tell he was a little surprised, he then he clasped my hand as well.

"Wow, I can't believe it'd work out this good," I heard Dawn say. We turned around, seeing Torchic and Rosellia leading all of the others towards here, including Soladad and Misty.

"You guys did all this?" Drew asked as we let go of eachother's hands before they could see.

"Yeah," Ash replied.

"Even the thing with the roof?" I asked.

"Yup, it's a new feature I added to the palace, " Misty said, twirling her remote around her hand.

"But you guys aren't even kissing!" Dawn yelled. All the others sweatdropped while Drew and I blushed.

"Oh enought with the matchmaker stuff Dawn," Ash said, "It's May's ball. Let her enjoy it at least."

"Oh is that right Ash Ketchum," Dawn said, bringing her hands to her hips, "Maybe I should set up you and Misty next," she said with a smirk.

Misty and Ash blushed as me and the others laughed. Although I wondered why I always blushed whenevr something came up about me and Drew. Nothing ever happened right? Well, either way I'll figure it out. If you can time travel, save a kingdom, and fight in the army, boys shouldn't be much of a problem. _'This truly is the best birthday I'll ever have.'_

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Well that's the end of it. I know that May and Drew haven't really gotten _together_ yet, but that's gonna hapen in the sequel, if you want a sequel. If so please review And i'll get to work on it right away. Thank you!-


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